Three clans unite
by Empress of Yaoi
Summary: Updates come slow, sorry! What would happen if three young man realized they'd loved each other all these years? How would they explain this unconventional relationship to the people around them? Or even to themselves? Also features Kaka/Iru. My little devil is in the graphic details, so I've had to rate this M, yoai, swearing, threesome... Yeah, I hit the trifecta with this one :)
1. Inuzuka nose

AUTHORS NOTE: Okay, so I was working on my other story, ´Hidden Feelings, Hidden Lives´ and… the hurt kinda got to me.  
And then this ghostly plotbunny came to visit. She didn't want to tell me much, but she made sure I wrote this. So no, I have absolutely no idea where this is going. But it is going to be romantic and sweet, and maybe a little funny. But undoubtedly with very little hurt! (because I need a break from that!) 

PS: I do not own Naruto, or anything related to this amazing series. Trust me, if I did, there would be some minor changes ;)

##########...##########

 **Inuzuka nose;**

##########...##########

 _Wednesday, eight AM, at the training grounds,_

"Woah, Shino! What've _you_ been up to last night?!"  
"I have not been up to anything, Kiba"  
"Ya can't lie to _me_ , buddy" Kiba tapped his nose, "I can _smell_ it on ya"  
"Then why did you ask?" Shino stood stiffly, the few visible inches of his face dusted pink. He was silently grateful when the third member of their team interfered. Hinata moved to stand in between the two young men, hands raised slightly in a calming gesture.  
"Kiba, I think you're making Shino uncomfortable. Please stop, all right?"  
The young Inuzuka shrugged, folding his hands behind his head, "Fine, I won't ask" He shot a mischievous grin at his embarrassed teammate before continuing, "And I won't tell"  
The Aburame gritted his teeth. Sometimes he really _hated_ Kiba…

##########...##########

 _Wednesday, five PM, Konaha streets,_

"Hey Choji, Ino, Shikamaru! Wait up!"  
"Oh, hey Kiba, Akamaru. Hey Shino and Hinata. Anyone want t a potato chip?"Choji held out the bag, allowing his friends to take the offered treat.  
"You done training for today too, huh?" Shikamaru asked, "We were just going to get some barbeque, care to join?"  
"Sure!" Kiba smiled, his teammates agreed as well, barbeque sounded good after a workout like theirs. Kiba wedged himself in between the Nara and the Akimichi, throwing an arm around each of their shoulders, "And then you two can tell me all about last nights escapades over dinner"  
The boy had a wicked grin on his face that didn't bode well for his intended targets.  
The young shadow-user shrugged the arm off his shoulders, taking a few steps back, "What escapades?" He quirked one eyebrow, looking quizzical at the curious boy.  
Kiba used his now free hand to tap at his nose, "Don't act so innocent, Shikamaru, I smelled ya out!"  
If his grin were to get any wider it would split his head clean in two, but Shikamaru still had the puzzled look on his face, as did Choji.  
"Uh… Kiba…?" Hinata gingerly stretched out her hand, but stopped before she'd even gotten half-way, "Please stop, Kiba. It-it's not very polite to ask people about that…"  
"Why not? They're the ones smelling like-"  
"Kiba!" Shino interrupted, "Hinata is right, you are displaying a lack of etiquette unbecoming of a shinobi." Kiba pouted at Shino's strict tone. "Aw, man… Fine, let's just eat, then" The Inuzuka started for the restaurant. As he accidentally brushed past Shikamaru, the shadow-user could vaguely hear the other man's muttered words, "If you guys wanna hide gettin' laid so bad, you should've at _least_ taken a shower…"  
 _What…? I didn't- Whatever, Kiba is just being troublesome as usual…_ The Nara almost groaned as he set his own body in motion, _Must've trained harder than I thought… I ache all over. So troublesome…_

##########...##########

 _Wednesday, five-thirty PM, Yakiniku Q,_

As they sat down for dinner, Shikamaru winced. _  
This doesn't feel like it's from training… Actually, didn't it already hurt when I got up this morning? With that pounding headache I hardly noticed anything else, but… I_ _ **think**_ _it did…_  
He glanced over to his best friend. _Choji seems to be in pain as well… Although he_ _ **did**_ _roll straight into that huge boulder less than an hour ago. Let's see… Last night, last night… I can't remember last night. This is so troublesome. So… Maybe this morning? What do I remember from this morning?  
Choji was there… So he stayed over, nothing new. We both had this splitting headache… I felt too nauseous to eat breakfast, Choji only wanted potato-chips. But, then again, that's happened before as well… Let's see…  
This is so troublesome, I really can't remember __**anything.  
**_ _But Kiba's nose is never wrong, I know that much.  
Or maybe it is? I don't really know him that well, anymore…  
Oh wait, I remember when we got dressed, we found all those empty sake bottles on the floor. I don't __**remember**_ _drinking them, but apparently we did. I would explain the headaches and the nausea. And the gaps in my memory too, I guess. And maybe_ _ **that's**_ _what Kiba smelled on us. I suppose it's possible to make a mistake like that, even for him._

The conversation around him had continued while Shikamaru was lost in thought, so when he tuned back in to his friends he realized Choji was regaling them all with the story of how he'd rolled straight into the huge rock earlier.  
The Nara smiled to himself, but then he noticed Shino out of the corner of his eye.  
The Aburame hadn't said a word since they'd entered the restaurant - no surprise there. But Shikamaru suddenly realized the other man had been staring at him intently this whole time. He leaned over a bit, speaking softly so only Shino could hear, "What's wrong?"  
Even though his friend muttered there was nothing wrong, Shikamaru got the distinct feeling that the other was lying. But he didn't push the matter, Shino had always been different and pushing him was never a good idea.

##########...##########

 _Wednesday, six PM, Yakiniku Q,_

Kiba almost toppled over as Choji explained how he got the bruises on his face. It was only thanks to Akamaru that he didn't hit the ground. Kiba thanked his furry friend, rewarding him with a large piece of meat, right of the grill.  
"Hey, that was mine, Kiba!"  
The Inuzuka sighted, "Choji, not every single piece on the grill is yours…" Akamaru backed him up with a sharp bark, licking his lips in a way that clearly stated he wanted more. So Kiba gave some to him, ignoring the Akimichi's complaints. But even though he was smiling and joking with the others, Kiba's heart wasn't really in it.  
He knew what he'd smelled, he could _still_ smell it. Even in the middle of a barbeque restaurant. Kiba recognized that is was bad manners to talk about it like he'd done before, but… This whole thing was just so _confusing_! Could he have misinterpreted the scent? No way, right?  
Still, at the moment, that actually seemed like the most plausible explanation…

##########...##########

 _Wednesday, seven PM, Konoha streets,_

After dinner, they all went their separate ways.  
But it only took Choji a couple of blocks to realize he needed to talk to his best friend right now- _alone._ So he quickly turned into an alleyway that would serve him as a short-cut. Knowing Skikamaru never walked very fast he waited for him on a small square.  
He didn't have to wait long.  
"Choji? What are you doing here, something you wanna talk about?"  
"Yeah, but… Not here, Shikamaru. Let's go over to where we watch the clouds, okay?"  
He watched his best friend nod, walking together in silence for the rest of the way.  
"Let's sit down," The Akimichi pointed to their favorite spot, but Shikamaru shook his head, "I think I'd rather stand _,_ if that's okay"  
Choji moved a little closer to his friend, all but whispering, "So you feel it, too?"  
"Feel what?" The Nara looked startled, backing away from his closest friend.  
"You know…" Choji stretched out the last word, hoping he wouldn't have to finish this sentence out loud.

They fell quiet for a while, neither boy wanting to be the one to say it. Eventually, Shikamaru sighted, "Yeah, I know…"  
They each stared at the ground uncomfortably for a while, unsure what to say or do now.  
Finally, Shikamaru spoke again, "Choji… What happened last night? Do you remember? All I got is the sake bottles we found this morning…"  
"Me too… The bottles and the cups…"  
"Cups?"  
Choji nodded, looking his friend in the eyes, "That's the weird thing, Shikamaru… There were three used cups on your desk…"

##########...##########

 _Wednesday, seven-fifteen PM, Konoha streets,_

 _What was that idiotic Kiba on about today?_ Ino mused on her way home. _No way_ _ **those**_ _two had any 'escapades' last night! As if! If anything, they'll be alone for the rest of their lives. Girls don't like tubby guys, of lazy guys for that matter.  
Kiba was probably just trying to stir things up. Judging from Hinata's reaction, he most likely does that on a regular basis. Poor girl, being stuck on a team with __**those**_ _two…  
I guess my team isn't so bad, after all. At least they don't make inappropriate comments like that… And luckily they're not total idiots like Naruto. And we've all known each other since forever, so we really know each other's strengths and weaknesses.  
Like I know for a fact that neither one of them has a girlfriend- it's just impossible!  
And even __**if**_ _they did, I mean, I would know, right? So Kiba's just an idiot. An annoying, meddlesome, respect less, idiotic, stupid moron.  
I'm __**so**_ _sure._

##########...##########

 _Wednesday, eleven-thirty PM, Shikamaru's house,_

Choji had ended up staying over again, tonight.  
It was awkward in a way, with the both of them realizing what must've gone down last night. But it had gotten late, and Shikamaru's house was way closer than Choji's. So they both tried to act as if nothing had happened. As if they weren't still feeling the effects from what were presumably last night's actions.  
Shikamaru's parents hadn't seemed to notice anything wrong, and the two friends had quickly retreated to Shikamaru's bedroom in order for it to stay that way.  
But now they were both standing around awkwardly, not really wanting to undress in each other's presence, but too uncomfortable to say anything about it.  
They usually slept together on Shikamaru's double bed, but that felt weird now, too. Still, they'd either have to suck it up or talk to Yoshino about getting a spare futon, which would _definitely_ set of some alarm bells.  
"Choji, this is ridiculous. We've been friends forever and now we get all weird over something that may or may not have happened. Either way, neither of us remembers. Can't we just… Go back?" Shikamaru rubbed the back of his head _._ He didn't look at his friend as he spoke, instead setting his gaze on the dark window.  
"It _did_ happen, though" Choji's tone was soft, with a hint of regret, "I know we can both feel it. It's just… I think it was the sake" He frowned, "Where did we get that, anyway?"  
"Dunno… Must've swiped it from my dad, I guess… I'm more concerned with who else was here…"  
"Maybe it was Ino…?"  
"Ino?! Think we'd still be _alive_ right now, if it was Ino?"  
The Akimichi chuckled, "Guess not. Look, Shikamaru, If we can't remember, it's not gonna do us any good thinking about it. And… I'm tired. Shikamaru... If we both turn around to change, that would be okay, right? And after that we're going to try our hardest to pretend nothing ever happened."  
The Nara agreed, and soon they lay side by side like they'd done since early childhood.  
Although both still awkward about their current situation, they stuck to the plan: Pretending nothing ever happened.

##########...##########

 _Thursday, four-thirty AM, Shikamaru's bedroom,_

The sun had just started rising; only a few golden rays fighting the dark of the night.  
Shikamaru lay very still, trying to pinpoint what had woken him from his uneasy slumber.  
There it was again! A light, rhythmic tap on his window. One, two, three… One, two, three…  
Sighting, the young Nara slipped from under the covers and made his way over to the window through his dark room.  
Pulling away the curtain, golden rays of sun lingered on the familiar shape of – Shino?!  
 _I must still be half-asleep_. He rubbed his eyes, but the Aburame tapped his rhythm on the window once again.  
When Shikamaru finally opened said window, his visitor wasted no time slipping inside, "I'm glad you are awake-"  
"I am _now_ , Shino, what are you doing here?"  
"I could not sleep at all last night. Is Choji here also? There is something I need to speak to both of you about."

##########...##########

 _Thursday, five AM, Shikamaru's bedroom,_

Waking up Choji took some doing, but finally the three boys sat down on Shikamaru's floor. Their host had gotten them all a cup of tea, somehow realizing this wasn't going to be a very easy or even relatively short conversation.

As both the Nara and the Akimichi looked at him, the Aburame took a deep breath, "Before anything else is said, I want to apologize. I took advantage of a situation while I should have refrained myself from acting. But the truth is simple: I could not. I could not hold myself back any longer and even though I am very sorry that I compromised our friendship while doing so, I cannot bring myself to fully regret my actions."  
"Dude," Shikamaru leaned back on his hands, "I don't even get what you're talking about…"


	2. The naked truth

AUTHORS NOTE: Lemons, lemons, get your fresh lemons here!  
Rated M for rather obvious reasons :P  
This must be like… The longest chapter I've ever written… So far, that is…

Oh, and how is my drunk English? I don't normally hang around drunk people, and when I do, they're not exactly speaking English… So let me know how I did, okay? Pretty please?  
Also, catching the right tone for the normally reserved Shino was _extremely_ difficult in this setting… So if you feel like Shino doesn't sound like Shino… He's just had a lot to drink, all right?!

I am so only writing this story to keep myself in my happy place… lol, So yeah, this is what keeps me in my happy place xD If you see any more of this kind of chapters appearing… You know I´ll be holding onto my _Happy Place_ whahaha!

 **And to end this humongous authors note, I want to give a shout-out to the two people that are already following my story. Thank you so very much,** **shadowrealm11** **and** **SymphonicGirl** **!  
I'm uploading this early, just for you!  
** _ **I hope you like where this story is headed… ^.^**_ **  
**

##########...##########

 **The naked truth;**

##########...##########

 _Tuesday,eleven PM, Konoha streets,_

Night had settled as the three young man walked over to Shikamaru's house.  
"We're lucky; dad's on a mission and my mom is probably already asleep. So no-one's gonna know," He smirked, holding up one of the sake bottles they'd brought along. _  
_"Yay! We're going to try sake tonight!" Choji cheered, almost bouncing up and down out of sheer excitement. The Nara laughed, "Settle down, you're going to wake the neighbors."  
"That would be bad," Shino agreed as he followed Shikamaru into his house. The other pressed a finger against his lips, motioning that his mother lay asleep in first room they passed.

The three friends tiptoed through the hallway and into Shikamaru's room, "Wait, I forgot cups, be right back," And he slipped out again. Leaving Shino and Choji to unpack the paper bags they'd brought along.  
"This is quite the amount," Shino stated as they'd finished setting the sake unto Shikamaru's desk. He was right, the desk now sported twenty-two sake bottles, enough to get all three of them drunken beyond belief.

##########...##########

 _Wednesday, one AM, Shikamaru's bedroom,_

"Y'know," Shikamaru said drunkenly, "Iz better now I can ssssee y'face… Lookz goodish way"  
Shino felt a blush creep over his face, he wasn't nearly as drunk as the other two, taking only little sips as his friends threw back their drinks as if it were lemonade.  
"His rite ya know," Choji attempted to look at Shino, but he kept multiplying, confusing the poor boy.  
The young Aburame smiled, his clothing was a clan custom and he knew his friends were aware of this. But he still liked hearing them say he looked better without it, even if they were drunk. "So you both prefer to see me like this?" He asked, nervous butterflies fluttering in his stomach. It wasn't _this_ question the young kikaichu-user was anxious about, but what he hoped it would lead up to.  
His friends were too far gone to notice his nerves, though, and they both agreed wholeheartedly that, yes, seeing his face was much preferred.  
"You ssho-sshould –hick- not hide behin shem closhes all se –hick- sime" Shino held his breath for a few second, trying to work up the courage to reply to Shikamaru. He know what he _wanted_ to say, it was just… "So you'd rather I just take the whole lot off, then?" He tried to voice it as a joke, but the anxiety made his voice sound strained.  
Once again he thanked who-ever had invented sake, as neither boy seemed to notice.  
"Y'culd," Choji pointed out, "I –hick- donmind. 'S pwobwy more com – hick- comfy anyway. Infat… I shink –hick- I shuld too, 's besser…" He immediately started acting on his own words, pulling his shirt off and throwing it somewhere in Shino's general direction.  
The Aburame managed to catch it, discretely sniffing at the discarded piece of clothing. It smelled like Choji – obviously- and for a moment, Shino basked in the scent.  
He was startled when yet another shirt got flung at him.  
Shikamaru's aim was perfect; hitting his friend smack in the face.  
"Shmell _that_ , notty boy!" _Oh, I'll be naughty all right, trust me,_ Shino thought, putting on quite the display. Sniffing at both shirts, one after another, then simultaneously.

Suddenly, the half-naked figure of thee shadow-user towered over him, "Gimme you's," He demanded, holding out his hand.  
However, this little move made him lose his balance, falling atop Shino's lap, " 'Sokay, I'm okay, I can –hick- shmell here…"  
 _You are_ _ **not**_ _smelling my shirt, though… And you're gripping me rather right there…_ Shino felt the blood rush to his nether regions, Shikamaru's unconscious ministrations making his cock stand to attention. Part of him wanted to push the other off, knowing that he was too drunk to realize the impact of his actions. But for the most part, Shino _wanted_ this, _had_ wanted it for years. And this was probably the only chance he'd ever get…  
"Ah, you _like_ that, huh?" Shikamaru's voice didn't sound nearly as drunk as before, but still, too drunk. Shino swallowed hard before gently pushing the hand away from his groin, "Shikamaru, you're drunk. I shouldn't-"  
"Shouldn't what?" The boy on his lap interrupted, "Shouldn't allow me to fuck you?"  
Shino tried to swallow around the lump in his throat again, licking suddenly dry lips. He didn't exactly know what he was going to say, but he knew he had to say _something._ He opened his mouth - his mind still scrambling for words – when unexpectedly he felt a hot, wet invasion slipping through his parted lips.  
Shikamaru's tongue tasted like sake, and the potato chips Choji'd been handing around, and… Something else. Something sweet, but spicy and very… _Shikamaru_. Shino had no defense against this, this was a dream come true and more. He felt his body shiver as a hand ghosted over his erect member, groaned as he felt his zipper being pulled down.  
Shikamaru's hand now snaked under his shirt, whispering over well-defined abs. Cold air made the Aburame shiver again as a new set of hands freed him from his shirt.  
He could feel himself being pushed down on the floor, Shikamaru's lips never leaving his.  
The rough contact between his back and the floor was unpleasant, but quickly forgotten as his pants and boxers seemed to disappear. Shino was no longer in control of _anything_ as two sets of hands explored every inch of his body. He moaned and shuddered, not daring to open his eyes for fear of breaking this spell. Somehow, his sunglasses had been removed, too, and he could feel a hot breath on his eyelids before soft kisses were placed on them.  
Shikamaru had relinquished his mouth, trailing hot, wet kisses along the laying man's torso. So… The one placing these soft, caressing kisses on his face was… Shino couldn't resist; he opened his eyes.  
Looking up at his _second_ wet dream, he tried to speak again. But again his words were cut off by another mouth on his own. Choji tasted a little different from Shikamaru, but equally addicting. The kiss they shared was soft and sweet and as Choji pulled back he lingered for a moment on Shino's lips, whispering, "I want in, too." _In?! Did he mean…? No… couldn't have, I-_ Shino's thoughts were broken as his body jerked; the Nara's mouth had found and enclosed his throbbing member.  
He gently sucked on the tip for a while, tongue deftly licking the pre-cum from Shino's slit. The boy had to fight the urge to thrust into the other's mouth, scared to hurt the boy, anger him, pull him out of this – _state_ \- he was in.  
However he gasped as another pair of lips – the pair of lips he'd all but forgotten about in his moment of bliss – started sucking on one of his nipples. Gently tucking, biting, licking. A hand moved over to the other side, mimicking the actions of Choji's mouth.  
A low groan erupted from deep within Shino's throat. Somewhere in the back of his mind, where his thoughts still held _some_ coherency, he was sure he was dreaming. This simply _couldn't_ be real.  
But it was.  
It _had_ to be.  
Even in his most private, most precious dreams he wouldn't think this possible.  
But apparently, it was.  
He could feel his orgasm approaching, clenching his fists to hold it off for as long as he possibly could.  
He could feel Shikamaru's fingers massaging his scrotum, could feel the boy take his length in deeper with every bob of his head, only relinquishing his hold on Shino's member to murmur three little words; "Come inside me," His voice was hoarse, so sexy, and it pushed the Aburame over the edge. His vision went black as his orgasm flooded over him.

When Shino came to, his body was shivering in the cold, he was laying on his back- a cold, hard surface beneath him. The Aburame was unwilling to open his eyes, unwilling to let go of this feeling, _Best. Dream._ _ **Ever..**_ _._  
But as a warm hand glided over his chest, his eyes flew open.  
Shikamaru's face was dangling mere inches above his own, his trademark smirk firmly in place, "You with us again?" His voice still held the hoarse tone it did earlier, eliciting a moan from deep within Shino's throat.  
"Good, 'cause we ain't done yet, sexy," He leaned in for another kiss and Shino could taste himself on the other's tongue.  
 _Not a dream… Not a dream…_ _ **Not**_ _a dream…  
_ "No," The Nara laughed a little, "Not a dream. Which kind of makes me curious about your dreams, sexy…" He seemed to really enjoy using this new nickname, and Shino couldn't complain. _He's not just_ _ **calling**_ _me that… I think he_ _ **means**_ _it…_ _ **  
**_Shino swallowed. Swallowed again as he felt something brush against his stiffening cock. He instantly realized, Shikamaru too, was naked. The other's body resting atop his own. The sensation he'd just felt…  
The boy licked his dry lips, "My dreams?" He all but squeaked, "I- You. Both of you…" It was a mere whisper, but both had heard, had _understood_. Shikamaru playfully bit his lower lip, while Choji's voice teased in his ear, "My, my, aren't we greedy…?"

Shino couldn't manage a reply, though it didn't seem expected, either.  
As soft hands once again roamed his body, he too, gingerly lifted his arms, softly stroking Shikamaru's back. He could feel the young man quiver under his touch, encouraging him to up his game.  
Shino felt Shikamaru's lips on his own again, a tongue pushing his lips apart. He gladly complied, but soon found himself gasping as Choji's hand wrapped around his member. The Akimichi seemed shy, but determined as he let his fingers wander all over Shino's most private parts.  
As the sensations threatened to overpower the Aburame once again, he let one hand slide down the small of the Nara's back. Slowly dipping his finger in between perfectly shaped butt cheeks. Gliding lower, he found his mark, dipping one digit into the puckered hole. This drew out a long, low moan from Shikamaru, the boy now panting above him, "Don't… Stop… Please… So good…" After hearing those words drop from the delectable mouth dangling inches above his own, Shino couldn't have even stopped if he'd wanted to.  
Slowly, he retracted his finger, sucking on it before returning to where Shikamaru wanted him most right now. He began working up a steady pace, the boy trembling under the sensation.  
Shino'd almost forgotten about Choji's hand, ghosting between the two men's groins, completely taken in by the sight above him. But as the hand suddenly disappeared, he almost growled at the loss of contact.  
"Right back," The words were whispered in his ear, breath tickling sensitive flesh.  
Choji soon returned, though. Nudging gently against Shino's shoulder, begging him to roll on his side. As he obeyed, the Aburame accidentally knocked over a – thankfully empty – sake bottle. Reminding them all of the fact that they were laying on the floor.  
Shikamaru clumsily untangled himself, softly moaning as Shino's finger slipped out, "Maybe we should move this over to the bed," He chuckled, offering the two on the floor a hand to help them up. They stood – wobbly – and made their way over to the double bed, almost falling on top of it, too busy touching each other, themselves, everything.  
It was then that Shino realized why Choji had gotten up earlier; the young man clenched a bottle of lotion in his left hand- obviously intending to put the liquid to good use. He also realized his wet dream intended to use it on _him_. The mere thought making the Aburame grow hard once more. Shikamaru – always observant – had noticed, too. Both the lotion and Shino's reaction to it.  
His hand was trembling in anticipation as he softly stroked Shino's cock, "I want you to come inside me again, deeper this time. I want you _there_."  
Shino could only nod, his own hands shaking now, too. He swallowed hard, "Choji, there enough lotion?" He watched as Choji's face broke out in a lewd smile, "Plenty, three bottles," He started to grind against Shino's hip, clearly needing more.  
There were no words uttered as Shikamaru reached into his nightstand, pulling out another bottle and handing it to Shino. The shadow-user set himself down on all fours, discarding the pillows in one swift move as he pushed his chest against the mattress.  
Before Shino moved to position himself behind him he looked at Choji, "You know how to prepare?" He asked softly, not wanting to show his apprehension.  
Shino bit his lip as the Akimichi slowly shook his head before adding; "I'll watch you."  
Satisfied that he wouldn't get the rough treatment, Shino nodded before taking his place behind Shikamaru. Feeling another body move in behind him, pressing up to his back.  
It was kind of hard to concentrate like this… 

Shino coated his fingers with lotion, slipping one back inside the Nara. He could feel Choji behind him mimicking his actions, and gasped as the cold lotion entered his body.  
Already panting, he started working up a pace again, adding a second finger soon after. His mind went completely blank for a few moments, as he could feel Choji do the same to him.  
Deliberately keeping the pace slow to allow both himself and the boy writhing beneath him to settle into the feeling, Shino started to slowly scissor his fingers. But he almost fell over as he felt Choji brushed against his prostate. "Not yet," The Aburame whimpered, "Perfect spot, not yet…"  
It had been at his own request, but he still couldn't bite back the moan as soft fingers carefully moved away from this most holy of places.  
Now adding a third finger, Shino's pace quickened as his patience wavered, _That spot, I need him to hit_ _ **that**_ _spot. I need it –_ _ **right now**_ _!_ His free hand started to clumsily coat his member with the lotion, unable to wait much longer.  
Behind him, Choji had evidently taken the hint as he felt the other's fingers withdraw and heard the cap of the lotion bottle click. Not whimpering at the loss of contact was out of the question, all though he realized Choji was a lot less experienced than he himself was; the boy obviously needed both hands for the task.  
But in some ways, this might be better. Not feeling Choji's fingers inside him meant he could fully focus on Shikamaru for the time being. Taking but a moment to enjoy the view.  
The sight was truly magnificent, but as his cock twitched, Shino knew now was the time. Putting his tip to the entrance before him, he spoke in a low voice, "You ready, baby?"  
The only reply was a bucking of olive hips as the Nara couldn't find it in him to string any words together at this point.

Shikamaru cried out softly as Shino entered, but the feeling was so overwhelming he couldn't stop now. The tight, hot opening swallowed him, and for now, there was no way back. Once he'd sheathed himself fully, Shino leaned over to allow the man behind him entrance, trembling in anticipation.  
Choji wasted no words; only a soft, delighted moan escaped his lips.  
The three remained still for a moment, settling into these new sensations.

Shikamaru held the headboard in a death grip, making Shino recognize he'd hurt him. But before he'd had the chance to apologize the shadow-user nearly growled, "Move!" So he did.  
Starting slowly, he could feel Choji settle in the pace behind him. Shino´d never experienced anything like this before, and the sensations were so good, it was almost unbearable. But he continued, holding on to slender hips as he rocked his body in a steadily increasing pace.  
He could feel a tear trickling down his cheek, but made no effort to wipe it away. He didn't even know if it was from joy at his time in nearly-dreamland, or sorrow, knowing this was a once in a lifetime sort of thing. But at this point, he couldn't really care less.  
Shino felt the man underneath him shift, bringing up one hand to pump his member. His own pace became erratic, orgasm not far off now. He wanted to hold on, to keep this feeling for as long as possible. But as Shikamaru's walls clamped down on him in his own orgasm, Shino could hold on no longer. His climax sending Choji, too, over the edge. They collapsed atop each other, sharing this blissful moment.

##########...##########

 _Wednesday, three-fifteen AM, Shikamaru's bedroom,_

"That was… Amazing…" Choji's voice was full of wonder, "I never knew…"  
A chuckle escaped the Nara's lips, "Now _I_ wanna try, but I'm too damn tired…"  
Shino, flat on his stomach, squeezed in between the other two, pushed himself up on his elbows. Looking from Shikamaru to Choji and then out the window. Slouching back, he mumbled, "There's time…"  
The three took their sweet time recuperating, lazily touching each other's naked forms, not caring about the clock. Slowly, their movements started to become more heated as their bodies geared up for a second round.

Shino had no recollection how it happened, but he suddenly found himself flat on his back, while Choji straddled his shoulders. His enticing member brushing the Aburame's lips.  
Shikamaru was behind Choji, trying to recreate the way Shino had prepared _him_ earlier.  
There was cold lotion dripping on Shino's stomach; an exciting feeling to add to the mix.  
His tongue flicked out, eliciting a quiet moan from the man above him. But this sweet sound was soon followed by a soft whimper of pain; Shikamaru was going too fast.  
Shino raised one hand, joining in the Nara's efforts. Up till this point, Shino had thought it couldn't have gotten any more sensual, but it just did.  
There were simply no words in existence to describe Shino's feelings as his hand guided Shikamaru, while his lips and tongue fondled Choji. All three of them quivered in excitement and the anticipation of what was to come.  
The Nara's hand moved alongside his own, both fingering the Akimichi's holy entrance. Shino could feel himself grow hard once more, as Shikamaru softly guided his hand away from Choji and onto himself. The bottle of lotion was pushed in his other hand- message received.  
Fondling Shikamaru's throbbing length with his right hand, he opened the bottle with his left before proceeding to slick up the pulsing flesh, his tongue still stroking Choji. Shino smiled to himself as Shikamaru gasped, the cold lotion shocking his heated member. But under the Aburame's attention he quickly recovered, obviously aching to enter the boy before him. As he felt Shikamaru pull away from him, knowing that his tip was now pressed against Choji's puckered hole, Shino contemplated warning him to be gentle. But then decided against it. Instead grabbing hold of his own neglected flesh, pumping it in rhythm with his own lust.  
He could hear Shikamaru sigh in pleasure as he fully sheathed himself, could feel Choji quiver as the throbbing length was slowly inserted.  
The Nara was clearly being careful not to hurt his friend and Shino felt a little pang of regret remembering how he hadn't. But too much was happening now to dwell on that for long.

##########...##########

 _Wednesday, three-forty-five AM, Shikamaru's bedroom,_

When Shino came to from his third orgasm that night, both of his companions were fast asleep.  
Shrugging he felt the weight of his guilt settle on his shoulders. Sure, he'd dreamed about doing this, late at night, while he pleasured himself. The one-night stands he'd had always had Choji's or Shikamaru's face to them.  
The obsession with the two had even cost he Aburame his first – and only – boyfriend. When he'd accidentally called out Shikamaru's name at his release instead of Neji's. Or had he called Choji's name? It didn't matter. What _did_ matter was that he'd taken not one but _two_ innocent young men and sucked them – literally – into his own, perverted fantasy.  
Shino knew he'd never be forgiven for this.  
But there was a chance…  
They were both completely wasted, there was a small chance that they might not even remember come following morning.

Shino managed to pull his body up from the bed, if felt heavy; he was so exhausted he could barely move. Still, he retrieved all of his clothes from around the room, putting them on without making a sound.  
Over in the bathroom he grabbed a soft cloth and dampened it, returning to Shikamaru's room to softly remove all trace of nightly activities on both bodies.  
Shino felt like the biggest hypocrite for doing this, but it was the only, albeit very small, chance he had not to ruin their friendship. He cleared away the lotion bottles, looking around one more time. There was no sign of him ever being here, no sign of what had _really_ gone on in this room.  
He opened the window a bit, allowing fresh air to delude the smell of sex in the air.  
Shino startled when he realized his friends were both still naked. Quietly rummaging through the dresser, he quickly found what he needed; Choji stayed over so often he had several pairs of pyama's stored together with Shikamaru's. He softly dressed the two friends, then turned to leave.  
Before he closed the door behind him, Shino took one last look at Choji and Shikamaru, laying under the covers on the bed. He sighted, "I love you"

##########...##########

 _ **A/N,**_ _So, what do you think? Please let me know how you feel now that you've read my chapter ^.^  
_


	3. Two is still lonely, three is a blissful

AUTHORS NOTE: Just a little cuteness, and also a bit of a stern talking-to. I guess they needed that… 

I still own nothing… I _so_ wish I did, though…

##########...##########

 **Two is still lonely, three is a blissful crowd**

##########...##########

 _Thursday, six-forty-five AM, Shikamaru's bedroom,_

Shikamaru was chewing on the inside of his lip, ignoring Choji's stress-eating. His best friend was on his fifth bag of potato-chips right now, the Nara couldn't blame him.  
"That's… Quite the tale, Shino. You're right, we _didn't_ remember… At first. Flashes have been coming back to me since last night, though"  
"You too?" Choji's words were almost incomprehensible due to the enormous amount of food in his mouth, but it wasn't hard to understand his surprised exclamation.  
"Yeah… I didn't wanna say anything. Situation was awkward enough as it was…"  
Shino let his head drop at Shikamaru's words, he'd been right. He'd destroyed everything in one single dumb and drunken night.  
"Shino…" Choji had put away the chips, taking a sip of cold tea instead, "Please look at us… Couldn't you – you know, show your face?"  
"I believe I'd rather not at this point…"  
"Choji is right, Shino, please. Don't hide from us right now…"  
The kikaichu-user sighted. Removing his hood and pulling the zipper on his shirt down a little, but keeping his sunglasses on. He looked up.  
"That's better, thanks," Shikamaru looked him straight in the eye, as did Choji. "Look, Shino…" He sighted, muttering, "This is so troublesome…" Voice stronger, he continued, "Listen, you said something earlier, and I need to check if I heard right…" The Nara fell silent again, resuming chewing on his lip.  
After a while, Choji picked up where his friend had left of, "You said something about… Dreaming of this, of us… I guess I just want to know what you meant by that…" His voice trailed off as well.  
Shino took a deep breath, struggling not to let his gaze drop to the floor, "Do you remember that day on the playground? The day we met?" The others nodded, "That was the first time someone noticed me. I was still a child, back then, and didn't recognize these feelings until much later. They had matured by then, as had I. But… Looking back… I fell in love with two boys that day, and… Those feelings never disappeared."  
It was obvious Shikamaru was trying not to hurt his feelings, to tread ever so lightly, "You fell in love with both of us…?"  
"I did," Shino lost his internal struggle, looking down at the floor in between them.

Because of this, he missed the knowing look the other two shared.  
He could hear Choji shift, could feel him sliding over to sit next to him. The Akimichi whispered in his ear, causing Shino to start, "So did we"  
The young Aburame looked up, bewildered. He caught Shikamaru's eye. The boy had stopped chewing on his lip, rubbing the back of his head instead, "Not at that time, though. Later. I can't speak for Choji, but I realized sometime in our last year at the academy… I didn't want to tell anyone, not even you or Choji, because… Well… It was embarrassing… I'd wake up with a boner every morning. When my dad found out, he told me it was normal, but… He didn't know I could only… 'Take care of it'," He smiled self-consciously, "If I thought about you… About you _both_. And it's not… Normal, I guess? I mean… Even if you're in love with a guy, it's not really supposed to be _two_ guys, right?"  
"That's what I thought," Choji chimed in, "I think I realized a little later than you guys did… I mean, I knew what was going on but I… I didn't really understand until after I'd defeated that Sound Ninja… I thought I was going to die and… Well, I'd missed my one chance to tell people how I felt. And as I sat there, I tried to think of a goodbye to everyone, but… I could only come up with four names; Mom and Dad - of course, and… Shikamaru and you…" For a moment he studied the face beside him, but it was difficult to determine the expression on Shino's face as he could barely even see it. Choji's fingers toyed with the hem of his shirt as he continued, "I woke up in the hospital, and I was all groggy from all the painkillers when Shikamaru came in…"  
"That's when he told me. But later, it seemed he'd forgotten about our conversation… And I felt anxious about it too, so… I didn't bring it up again." The Nara finished.  
Shino swallowed hard, this was just too much information to take in at one time.  
"You all right, Shino?" Choji put his arm around the Aburame, squeezing him tight for a second. Shino looked up and opened his mouth to reply, but he didn't get the chance to as a knock sounded at the door - immediately followed by the opening of said door.  
Shikaku Nara appeared, "Another guest, huh? We'll set one more plate, then, you're mother asked me to tell you breakfast is ready."  
"Thanks, dad," Shikamaru hesitated for a moment, "Could we eat in here, please?"  
The older man frowned, "This isn't about a mission, is it?" He sounded disapproving.  
Choji had let go of his friend, looking at the man standing in the doorway, "No, but we really need to talk this out, Shikaku. Please?" The clan head sighted, stepping in and closing the door behind him. He sat himself down on the other side of Shino, looking around the little circle before speaking again, "Is this about the sounds Yoshino heard coming from in here, night before last?"  
All three boys turned red, they hadn't really thought anyone'd heard them. Which was, as they now realized, stupid.  
"So it is. You three _do_ understand you're too young to drink, don't you?" At this point, no-one looked up at him anymore, as three pairs of young eyes were fixed on the wooden floor.  
"Never mind about that now, though. I suppose it doesn't really matter. So long as you promise me it's not going to happen again." He waited for them all to nod their agreement, "Now then, have you three figured out how this relationship's going to work, yet?" Shikaku ignored their surprised gasps, mumbled denials and, in Shikamaru's case – death glare. "I presume that's a no. But," He paused for a moment, getting up, "You might as well continue this on a full stomach. I'll make sure you three won't be getting sent away on missions for a couple of days, so you can work it out. This has been dragging on long enough," He looked at his son, who'd returned his eyes to the floor, "And your mother can't take it to see you like this any longer. She's worried for you, Shikamaru, for all of you. As am I. Now let's eat."  
The jounin left the room, leaving no doubt that they were to follow him. It was as good as an order. Shikamaru pulled himself off the floor, "I guess we eat, then…" 

_Thursday, seven-thirty AM, Nara kitchen,_

During breakfast, conversation had been light with Yoshino and Choji discussing favorite recipes and Shikaku regaling them all with a funny story about his academy days. There was a moral to the story, about how even best friends sometimes take too long to tell each other important things, but the three chose to ignore it for now.  
Shikaku left right after breakfast for his daily meeting with the Hokage, and Shino offered to help Yoshino with the dishes.  
She declined, saying they had more important things to do right now, leaving the Aburame flustered. As Shikamaru pulled the kikaichu-user out of the kitchen and towards his room, Choji couldn't help himself, "Awww, so _cute_ , you're blushing, Shino!" He gave the heated teen a chaste peck on the lips before brushing past him and into Shikamaru's bedroom. The Nara smirked as Shino's cheeks grew redder still, "You know, I was thinking the same thing…" He grabbed hold of the Aburame's hand, guiding him into the room before closing the door behind them.

Once inside, it seemed it was Shino's turn to relinquish his self-control as he pulled the Akimichi in for a real kiss. Feeling Choji lean into it, he ran his tongue across the boy's lower lip, begging for entrance that was quickly granted.  
Shikamaru watched the pair, hands in his pockets, smirk firmly in place. At this time he really didn't feel like doing anything but watch his boyfriends make out. _Wait,_ _ **boyfriends**_ _?! Yes… they are. They_ _ **both**_ _are. No-one's actually said it yet- well, dad did, but… None of us flat out agreed. None contested, either. I guess it's a hard word to say. To define this thing we have between us. But they_ _ **are**_ _both my boyfriend- and I'm theirs. It's gonna be difficult to explain to others, but this is what's real: We love each other. All three of us. There's no way this could only work with two. One more would also make it impossible… Dad was right about one thing, though… We gotta figure out how this is gonna work. I don't think just going with the flow is gonna cut it with something like this. We're gonna have to talk to each other a lot, just to keep the jealousy at bay. And we gotta learn to be more open with each other, too. No getting embarrassed about every little thing. I guess that goes for all of us, me as well…_  
He enjoyed the view for a little while longer, until the pair finally broke apart.  
"That was _hot_ , I think my pants got a little tight, there…"  
"Shikamaru…"  
"Choji, it's fine. I get what you're trying to say, but… I don't think any of us should ever apologize for kissing one when the other is present- or _not_ present for that matter. If we're all in this, then we're all equal in this, right?"  
"This what?" Shino asked hesitantly, "Are we calling this a relationship like Shikaku said?"  
The young Nara shrugged, "All I know is, ever since we left the kitchen, inside my head, I've been referring to you both as my boyfriends. And that I love you," Shikamaru blushed a little, so far he'd only said those three words to his parents, and that had been a long time ago. But he stayed true to his decision; He would be open and honest, and try not to get embarrassed every time the conversation got _personal._  
"I love you, too" Choji said softly, "You're my boyfriends"  
Shino swallowed , pulling Shikamaru a little closer. He rested his hand on the cheeks of both his lovers, leaning their heads together until their foreheads touched, "I love you" He stated simply, tears in his eyes and in his voice.  
They remained like this for a few minutes, until Choji broke the silence between them, a giggle in his voice, "Ino's gonna _freak_!"  
Shikamaru chuckled, retreating from their embrace, "And Kiba's going to have a field day…"  
Shino nodded, "I will deal with him. Because I have been on the same team with Kiba and Akamaru for years, so I know them well. It would be best if I handle them. You two take care of Ino, she is quite the handful."  
"You got that right, Ino's a troublesome one… But Kiba isn't much better," The Nara pointed out, "And that nose of his could turn into our worst nightmare if we don't talk to him soon."  
"I think Shikamaru is right, we should just all go talk to them together, it wouldn't be fair to stick it on one person when there's three of us, right?"  
They watched Shino nod, before sticking his hands deep in his pockets, "Is there any chance of some more making out before we face them?" He asked gingerly, a hot blush creeping over his face.


	4. A father's point of view

AUTHORS NOTE: A bit of a filler, but I also thought it necessary to explain Shikaku's point of view at some point. Some point being sooner rather than later. So… I embarrassed them a little *wicked grin* 

This is actually part two of the version of chapter three that I wrote. But there was so much going on in one chapter I decided to split it up. In three different chapters, yeah… It was even starting to confuse _me_ at some point… So much going on… But, that means more chapters wheeeeee!

##########...##########

 **A father's point of view**

##########...##########

 _Thursday, eleven AM, Shikamaru's bedroom,_

There had indeed been time for more making out, since that was way more fun than trying to come up with ways to tell their teammates about their new relationship.  
About an hour ago, Shikaku had popped his head in, telling them they were off duty for two weeks, together with the rest of their former classmates and Gai's team as well. Apparently, business wasn't exactly booming at the moment.  
The man had neglected to knock, however, leaving the three half naked boys flustered. Even though he'd apologized, it did nothing to ease the embarrassment the three lovers felt.

 _"Really, I'm sorry, okay. I still have to get used to all of this, too..."  
"Dad, that's no excuse for not knocking!" Shikamaru tried to pull his shirt back on, hindered by the fact that Shino was hiding behind him, practically clinging to him.  
Choji, sitting on the bed, stared down at the floor, "Shikaku, it's really a big deal for us… Could you please at least try? I…" His voice trailed off.  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to barge in here. I guess I'm just used to you guys hanging out while fully dressed…" He looked uneasy, but still determined to talk this out. Even though it was clear all three of them would rather see him leave.  
"Do you have a problem with it, Shikaku?" Shino finally moved from behind his lover, being the first to look the elder in the eyes.  
"No, Shino, I don't. I don't have a problem with your relationship, and I realize a little fooling around comes with the territory, but… That doesn't mean I expected to walk in on it."  
"Then what __**did**_ _you expect?" The Aburame asked pointedly, making the man by the door look away in obvious discomfort, "I didn't think about it, I suppose. That was my mistake. It's wrong to keep thinking of you as children, but as a father it's difficult not to," He looked up again, "I want you to be able to feel safe, and I'm not condemning any of this. Even_ _ **if**_ _I would personally prefer you'd refrain yourselves from having sex. I know that's not going to happen, though, so I'll say this: You have nothing to fear in this house. I cannot give these activities my blessing, but I'll accept it. So long as you conduct yourself properly outside this room"  
"Properly?" Shikamaru sounded like he didn't know if he should laugh or get angry.  
"Yes son, properly. Keeping your clothes on is a big part of that," He glared at the two shirts on the floor, "However, that does __**not**_ _mean you're not allowed to get close to each other, or kiss each other for that matter. Just show some proper manners when around others. And yes," He said with a slight chuckle, "I_ _ **do**_ _realize that's asking a lot."  
"Dad!" The younger Nara flustered, trying to push his father out of the room, "Go away…"  
"I was just teasing a little," Shikaku laughed, "I __**do**_ _remember being your age, you know… Hormones flooding your body, can't even wake up without-"  
"Dad! Shut up!" He'd turned bright red at this point, though he no longer tried to force his father out: It wouldn't work anyway.  
"Shikaku…" Choji spoke very softly, making the others fall still just to be able to hear him, "Please don't say stuff like that… It's… Embarrassing…"  
The man straightened himself, walking over to the boy on the bed before dropping to one knee so he could look him in the eyes. His voice was kind as he spoke, "It shouldn't be. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, Choji. But you should know that unless you learn to speak more freely, this is going to be very hard on you," He looked up at the other two, "On all of you." Patting the Akimichi on his knee, he stood up again, "If there is anything you need, just ask. I know that it might be… Awkward sometimes, but I'd rather be able to help you out then realize I __**should**_ _have helped you out. So… Anything you need, okay boys?" He didn't receive much of a response, but that didn't seem to faze the jounin, "I'll leave you alone, then," And so he left the room._

After Shikaku's intrusion, it had taken some time to get back into their groove, as they'd all felt ashamed to have been caught by the older man.  
But after a while, the need to touch each other had overcome the humiliation, and the little encounter was all but forgotten.  
"Oh, that feels good!" Choji didn't even know which of his boyfriends was responsible for the lips on his neck, but it didn't matter. His eyes were closed in ecstasy, as the lips on his pulse were increasing their efforts.  
"So that's what it takes to get Choji going, huh?" Shikamaru chuckled, "Shino, that's a handy trick you got there…" The other didn't respond, too busy pleasuring the writhing boy beneath him. He'd realized at some point Shikamaru had leaned back to enjoy the show, and was quickly figuring out that's what it took to get _Shikamaru_ going. It was fun, learning what buttons to push on either of them, and Shino intended to learn _all_ about it.  
He let his hands roam around Choji's body, taking care not to let them wander too far south, the memory of Shikaku suddenly appearing in the doorway fresh on his mind. Eventually, Choji pushed him away, "Stop, no more," He was panting, trying to catch his breath in an effort to form a full sentence, "I can't take it if it's not… I can't… Shikaku…" He whispered the name that had been weighing on all their minds, the reason they'd been trying to keep the noise down as best they could.  
"Dad's probably left already…" It sounded more like he was trying to convince himself rather than his boyfriends, "I mean, he's got a busy job and all…" Shikamaru cringed as his words were proven to be a lie by a sudden burst of laughter emanating from the living room.  
"It would seem he has not left," Shino whispered, "And I believe I would rather not have to face the man like that again…"  
"I'm sure he's not gonna just come in again, Shino… Shikaku's a pretty decent guy"  
"Most of the time… Not so much when he's talking about hormones again… Good _Lord_ , did you know he tried to have _that_ talk with me over breakfast? After… _catching_ me, like, in the act…Seriously, _so_ troublesome…" Shikamaru let himself drop down on the bed, folding his hands under his head, "And that bullshit about forgetting to knock… He pulls that crap a lot, though… Maybe that'll stop now" There was a little satisfaction in his voice, a little insight in just how often the boy whished his father would be a little less embarrassing.  
"Shikamaru," Shino moved to create a little distance between himself and Choji, allowing the other to gather himself, "Do you believe him?"  
"Believe what? That he's an annoying, overbearing dad that should choose his words a lot more carefully? Yeah, definitely"  
"You don't mean that," Choji, always the peacemaker, tried to diffuse the situation.  
"That is not what I meant, however, I _do_ see your point…" Shino paused for a moment, pondering the best way to rephrase his question. The Nara sighted at him, "Just come out and say it, Shino. We shouldn't be embarrassed to talk to _each other_ , at least"  
"Correct. What I was trying to say was, do you believe him when he says he has no issues with our relationship?"  
"He didn't actually _say_ that," Shikamaru pointed out, "He said he'd accept it. But yeah… I'm pretty sure he'll come around. And I've never known the guy to flat-out lie to me, so…"  
"Which logically means, that inside this room, we are free to do as we please with each other…" Shino sounded thoughtful, playing with a fold in Choji's pants.  
A cheeky smile appeared on Shikamaru's face, "Your point?" Shino gave no verbal reply, instead leaning over to kiss the boy on the lips, his fingers trying to work the zipper on his pants.  
"Shino… I know you're horny and all, I am too, but…" The Nara let his voice drop, whispering, "He's right _there_ …"  
"And you're mother was about as close the first time we did this," He did not relinquish the zipper, even though it had proved impossible to get it open while Shikamaru was still sitting up.  
"Uh, guys? Remember how that little detail came back to bite us in the ass?" The Akimichi sounded nervous, moving to a sitting position.  
"It also meant that Shikaku felt the need to talk to us," He let go of the zipper, knowing this conversation to be more important right now, "Which in turn led to all of us acknowledging this relationship, and eventually, approval. Not that I particularly _need_ anyone's approval apart from yours, but it is still a relief to me, knowing we can be together _here_ , at least. I do not know if my own parents would be so easily won over…"  
The young Nara dipped his head, all but whispering, "That doesn't mean I feel comfortable fucking you with him right across the hall, though…" He leaned over a little, softly kissing Shino on the lips, "I mean… He's bound to know…" The Aburame smiled, recapturing his lips in a long, languid kiss. His hands found Shikamaru's nipples, tugging them softly as they both moaned in the kiss. When they eventually broke apart again, the Nara was panting, licking his lips.  
Shino gave him a little peck on the tip if his nose before calmly stating, "He already knows, though. He knows we've had sex before and he has accepted the fact that we will again. And if you're afraid to get reprimanded for that-"  
"Not reprimanded," Shikamaru cut in, "Pestered about it is more like it"  
"Even so, that just means you have to practice being quiet," The Aburame had a wicked grin on his face as he climbed atop his boyfriend, finally pulling that blasted zipper down.


	5. Kakashi-sensei's council

AUTHORS NOTE: It seems I simply cannot write without incorporating my favorite ninja somehow, so I happen to be doing just that. Like I said before, this story is all about keeping me in my happy place, and Kakashi makes me _very_ happy, hehe. 

Anyway, still don't own Naruto or anything like that, seriously, that would be like, the _best gift ever_ though… You listening, Kishimoto Masashi?

##########...##########

 **Kakashi-sensei's council**

##########...##########

 _Friday, nine-forty-five AM, Jounin Lounge_

They'd talked about it over dinner last night, Shikamaru rather grudgingly, and decided this was the best approach. Not that that was helping their nerves at all…  
But both the Nara strategists had agreed, telling their jounin instructors first could potentially save them a real hassle later on.  
So here they were, standing just outside the jounin lounge, trying to work up the courage to go inside. Choji squeezed Shikamaru's hand, he could not remember a single time in his life where he had been this nervous. The Nara squeezed back, knowing that it would help comfort his boyfriend. But he also decided he was going to walk straight in after, waiting only made it worse.

"Kurenai, that's not fair. It's not porn, it's _erotica_. I could lend them to you so you can see for-"  
"Shikamaru, Choji! Shino?" Asuma phrased the last name like a question, unsure what these three would be doing here together, "Something wrong?"  
"Not exactly…" Shikamaru held still in the middle of the room, shoving his hands deep inside his pockets. The other two moved to flank him, Choji looking extremely nervous on his left, and on his right Shino, who also didn't manage his usual stoic look.  
Kakashi examined the trio, noting that Shikamaru was biting his lip, while Choji couldn't seem to stop fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. Shino was visibly shaking.  
 _Here we go…_ He leaned back into the cushions, arms resting comfortably on the back of the sofa. He crossed his legs, the total look being one of complete relaxation. Glancing over at his colleagues, the copy ninja calmly observed their bewildered faces.  
"So…" He dragged the word out, smiling at the tension that had suddenly flooded to room, "Is this the part where you three come to tell us you're dating?"  
"Wait, _what_?!-"  
"Shino, is he-"  
"Yep," Shikamaru deftly cut off the two sensei's barrage of questions to come.  
 _I gotta hand it to him, the kid didn't even blink…  
_ "Kakashi-sensei..?"  
His gaze relinquished his hold on the two stuttering jounin, instead settling it softly on the three boys, "Yes, Choji?" _He's blushing, poor kid. There's no need for that, you know…  
_ "How…?"  
"How did I know? Kiba's not the only one around here with a sharp nose, you know," He chuckled, "And you three have been dancing around each other for years now. Shino was _especially_ obvious…"  
" _Shino_?!" Kurenai cut in, "I've never seen Shino be obvious about _anything_!"  
The silver-haired man sighted, uncrossing his legs before crossing them again, this time switching their positions, "Well, Kurenai… I wouldn't want to criticize your teaching style…"  
"Then don't, _pervert_ ," The woman smiled, softening the blow.  
"I already told you, it's erotica, not-"  
"Don't _care_ ," Shikamaru'd pulled his hands out of his pockets, throwing an arm around each of his boyfriends, "We've said what we came to say, continue your discussion about perversion _after_ we've left, please."  
 _Kid's got balls…_ "Sure," Kakashi's eye crinkled in a smile, "Was there anything else you wanted?"  
"Not exactly…" _Here come the nerves again… I'm starting to see a pattern here…_ Kakashi changed his demeanor, no longer lounging back. His face turned serious, but still kind as he leaned over to the three, arms resting squarely on his knees, "What do you need?"  
This time, Shino spoke up, attempting to keep his voice under control, "We are uncertain how to best relay this information to our teammates, and Sakura and Naruto as well"  
"Not to mention Neji, I presume… Oh and Tenten and Lee too, of course," He couldn't help but dish out this little jab. Not just to show he knew, but more to see how the other two would process this little tidbit, assuming they didn't already know. Which they didn't, by the looks of it.  
Shino's cheeks brightened as Choji carefully looked over to his new-found love. It was - of course – Shikamaru who recovered first. Not letting on about his surprise, "Them too."  
Kakashi had to suppress a wild grin, he was sure he was enjoying this way too much, but still… _I'm aloud to poke a little fun, right? They're the ones barging in here with news like that… Besides, trust is an important commodity in_ _ **any**_ _relationship, but maybe even more so when there's three of you.  
If the other two don't know about one's past, and can't trust him because of it… But it seems they do. Which is pretty cool in my book. Regardless, Shino's going to have some explaining to do, somewhere down the line…  
I almost wish I could listen in on that conversation, it could be fun. But I suppose I'll just stick to being the adult here, god knows they need one right now…  
_"Well… As far as Naruto goes, he probably wouldn't notice if a house collapsed on top of him right now, too busy training with Yamato… Sakura's another story entirely, but she shouldn't give you any grief, so long as you're honest with her. As for the rest…" He looked over at the other jounin. Kurenai was the first to take the hint, while Asuma still stared at the three teenagers, a mix of shock and amusement on his face.  
"You know Hinata is just going to wish you luck, right?" She started, acknowledging the nod the Aburame gave her in return, "I am more worried about Kiba…"  
She shrugged, leaning back, "Just be straight with him-"  
" _Kurenai_ … " Kakashi's tone held a stern warning.  
"Honest, I mean…"  
Shikamaru scoffed, "That's not helping much, this whole thing is so troublesome…"  
It seemed he pulled Asuma out of the trance he'd been in, as the jounin, too, scoffed, "I'm sorry, Shikamaru, but we don't really know _what_ to say"  
Kakashi sighted internally, _not so, you two simply neglected to pay any attention to your students personal issues…_  
But Asuma wasn't done yet, "You guys spring this on us and just assume _we're_ gonna have all the answers? Half an hour ago, I didn't even know you guys were a thing!"  
 _Yes Asuma, and that's_ _ **your**_ _problem. You don't have to saddle a bunch of kids with your own insecurities, you know.  
And what ever happened to being nice? I thought you told me I should always stay calm and nice to my students… High time you took your own advice.  
Oh, I know, I know you will in a few hours. I know you just need a little time, and __**maybe**_ _I should've given you a heads-up… You've always been a little slow on the uptake…_  
Kakashi sighted, lazily untangling his long limbs from the sofa. He beckoned the three chuunin, "Follow me"

Once out on the hallway he continued, "I imagine you don't want to make a big scene out of this?" The jounin didn't look back at them but kept walking toward the exit. Forcing at least _one_ of them to vocalize a reply.  
"Preferably not."  
 _Shino! Who would've guessed you'd be the one to step up and actually answer me… I'd have put my money on the Nara kid. Goes to show even_ _ **I**_ _can be surprised sometimes…  
_ "The whole lot at once okay with you?"  
"Yeah… It'd be way too troublesome to go door to door, let's just get it over with…"  
Kakashi nodded, _Troublesome indeed…  
_

When they reached the street, he pulled out a kunai from his leg holster and summoned his ninken, "Yo! I'd like you to go get the rookies, and Gai's team as well. Uh… Better ditch Gai, though," He looked back at the teenagers standing behind him, "I'll talk to him for you, Gai can be a bit tough to deal with at times…"  
The teens nodded appreciatively, they knew all too well… "Thanks, Kakashi-sensei, that would be great…" The Nara voiced their thanks.  
"No worries, I have a lifetime's worth of experience on how to handle the guy, and even _I_ have trouble dealing with him sometimes. Besides, it's not like he's going to have something worthwhile to add, trust me. You can do without all the 'Power of Youth' stuff…" _I know_ _ **I**_ _could…  
_ Paccun interrupted their little side-talk, "Where do we take 'em?"  
As Kakashi turned back to his summonings, he smiled brightly, "Take them to that teashop I like"  
"The one across from that dirty book store?" If it weren't so far-fetched, Kakashi would've _sworn_ there was but a little contempt in the dog's voice. Paccun always disapproved of his reading material…  
"No, no, the other one. With that nice old lady that's practically deaf…"

As the dogs scattered, Kakashi began to walk too.  
"I can either stay, or drop you off and leave. I _do_ have a plan that might work, but it's up to you three"  
Shikamaru moved to walk beside him, the other two soon following suit, "What's the plan?"  
"Simple: Trust me," _And let me work this out just a_ _ **little**_ _further… It's going to be tricky…  
_ "That's not a plan," Choji pointed out.  
"Sure it is, that's why _I'm_ the jounin, and _you_ are the chuunin," _Actually, it's more like 'I'm the jounin, so I'm putting my balls on the line for you three'. But nevermind…  
_ "Kakashi, what are you up to?" The Nara sounded careful _, Time to pester you a little, no use in screwing myself over if I don't at least get a kick out of it…  
_ "What I'm up to?" Mock hurt laced the man's voice, "I'm trying to _help_ you here…"  
There was a small pause at the clan heirs looked at each other, the silent conversation was easy to read, but Kakashi didn't bother. "Fine, it's troublesome, but we'll trust you on this…"  
"Why _thank you_ , Shikamaru," _Why did I ever let me talk myself into this…?_


	6. A treasure hunt

AUTHORS NOTE: Okay, so the original concept for this story was to keep it short and sweet and focus on the love between Shikamaru, Choji and Shino.  
But then the plot bunnies came, and they brought me this idea about a treasure hunt- so I decided to roll with it xD

I´m uploading this out of sheer thanks, really. Let´s give a big shoot-out to VictoriaLovesSmut for giving me a wonderful review!  
Seriously folks, reviews make chapters appear out of thin air- I'm _so_ not kidding…  
Oh, and, let's have a little guessing game, shall we? Whoever managages to unravel Kakashi's secret before it's revealed will be granted the right to give me a plotbunny that I will have to roll with.  
Not too overly specific please, since I always write a few chapters in advance, but… I'll put it in somehow (unless you completely miss the point and go waaaaaay of script, like, I'm not breaking them up for _anything_. This is my _feel good_ fic…) So anyway… Enjoy, I'll only upload one, right now, I'll probably put another up tomorrow. After that one, it's all revealed so you have two chapters to figure everything out. Oh and, don't go thinking these guys are on the right path… They could be terribly wrong, just sayin' ;)  
Whew, that was a long A/N….

##########...##########

 **A treasure hunt;**

##########...##########

 _Friday, ten-thirty AM, Kakashi's second favorite teashop,_

When the four shinobi arrived at the teashop, Sai and Neji were already present.  
The two sat in silence, opposite each other, studying each other while trying not to be noticed themselves.  
Kakashi chuckled, "Yo! You're here already, now we only have to wait for seven more."  
"Make that five, Kakashi-sensei!" Kiba dashed in, pulling poor Hinata along with him, "Come on, Hinata! Naruto isn't even here yet!"  
"Uh, Shino, hello. You- you weren't at training today, is there something wrong?"  
"I know two others who didn't show up for training!" Ino stood in the doorway, glaring at her teammates, hands on her hips, leaning over. She wanted to say more, but Kakashi put both hands up in a calming gesture, "Now, now, don't fight. That's not why I called you all here-…"  
"Then why did you, Kakashi-sensei?"  
"Sakura, welcome, you too, Tenten. Have a seat, order some tea. My treat" Kakashi smiled, sitting down himself.

They waited for the rest of the summoned ones to come in, which seemed to take way too long. All this time, Shikamaru's head went round and round, trying to figure out what Kakashi's plan was. Kiba's incessant sniffing didn't help either… "Kiba, do you have a cold or something?"  
"No," The Inuzuka smirked, "But I _do_ have a very keen sense of smell, Shikamaru"  
"Now, now you two, don't bicker. Just sip your tea and wait."  
The group fell quiet after Kakashi's veiled warning, not wanting to push their luck. This was a rare occasion, after all.  
Eventually, even Naruto appeared, guided by Paccun. The boy complained about Kakashi-sensei's interruption of his training, while Paccun relayed Yamato's relief at the thought of a break before disappearing in a puff of smoke. 

Kakashi smiled, "Well, now that everyone is _finally_ here… Let's get this show on the road.  
I've called you all here today because I have a little training exercise for you, a little… _treasure hunt_."  
He looked around the table, most didn't seem so exited, but something as trivial as other peoples lack of enthusiasm had never deterred the copy-ninja before, and this time was no different.  
"I've planted some clues around the village, and in the woods as well. Actually, they're kind of all over the place." He said thoughtfully, "They all lead to a single answer. A little secret of mine I thought I'd share with the rest of you."  
"A secret?!" Sakura perked up.  
"Just a little one. You'll be working in teams for this-"  
"All right! Shino, Hinata, team eight has this in the bag!" Kiba jumped up, exited.  
"Hold on, Kiba. This is as much a teambuilding exercise as it is to practice information gathering. I will decide on the teams."  
"Do we get to see your face, Kakashi-sensei?"  
"Euh… No, Naruto, that's not the secret."  
"Then why bother?" It seemed to be the consensus all around. They wouldn't move for anything less than a good old face-showing. Kakashi sighted, "The winners will win free dinner at their favorite restaurant for a month. On me. And also, bragging rights. The ones who discover the secret don't really have to share, you know…."  
"So you _don't_ really want people to know," Ino's curiosity seemed to get the better of her.  
"I didn't say that. I simply said that you might be able to use it as leverage over your classmates. Just saying. So, are you in?"  
For some, it was the free dinner, for others, the chance to learn Kakashi's secret, Sai just wanted to be a part of it. They were all in.

" All right, then. Now for the teams. I'm aware that some of you might be better suited to this task, some a little less. So I've tried to balance out the teams as best I could. Once you know who will be on your squad, I will give each team a different clue. You can see what you make of that for yourself. You _could_ all pull your information, and see who gets to the cake first, or you can go all out war- I don't really care.  
Let's do this; Kiba, Sai, Naruto, you three will be team A. Team B will consist of Hinata, Lee and Ino. Neji, Sakura, Tenten, team C. And, since teambuilding works wonders in the bedroom, Choji, Shikamaru and Shino will be team D. Now, you three try to focus on the mission and not each other, okay?" The silver-haired man's eye crinckled.  
Slowly realization dawned around him. However, it was Shikamaru who broke the silence first, " _Real_ subtle, Kakashi…"  
"Oh, but I never said anything about being subtle, boys"  
Neji pulled a face, "So you called us all down here, just to tell us _that"_  
Kakashi smiled again, "Nope. Treasure hunt. Your friends' love life is just a little side note. Now, clues, anyone?"

##########...##########

 _Friday, eleven-fifteen AM, Konoha streets,_

"We only have twenty-four hours to figure this out, guys! Pay attention!" Tenten exclaimed. "Right!" Sakura agreed with her, "Twenty-four hours or we're never going to hear Kakashi-sensei's secret. And I want to know!"  
"You know they just opened that fancy new restaurant across town? I would _so_ eat there for a month!"  
"I know, right!"  
The girls were almost squealing together, talking about all sorts of fancy, expensive foods. But Neji didn't even listen. _The three of them? Shino… What are you thinking? You couldn't stay with me because you wanted to have two boyfriends at the same time? What's that all about? I don't understand any of this. Didn't I say I love you…? Wasn't that enough for you? And_ _ **those**_ _two… I could do things to your body neither of them could even dream of, you know that. Then why?_

##########...##########

 _Friday, eleven-fifteen AM, another Konoha street,_

"A pencil? That's our clue? A freaking pencil?"  
"Give me that, Naruto! You're smell is gonna be all over the thing if you keep turning it around like that!"  
The blonde grudgingly handed over their clue to Kiba. The Inuzuka sniffed at it a couple times. "Smells like… Kakashi-sensei."  
"Is it not normal that Kakashi-sensei's pencil smells like… Kakashi-sensei?" Sai offered.  
"Yeah… But… That's _all_ I got, Kakashi-sensei. Usually things smell of all the places they've been. But this thing only smells like… What the hell did he to the poor thing!"  
"What do you mean, Kiba? Do you smell something else?"  
"Sai, listen, you hold this." Kiba handed the pencil off, scrubbing his hands clean on his pant legs. "What I mean is; _How do you carry something around so that it only, and I mean_ _ **only**_ _smells of you?!"_  
"I dunno, how do you?" Naruto folded his hands behind his head, looking confused.  
"Okay, I'll prove it. Naruto, give me one of your kunai." Kiba took the offered item, sniffed it, "Look, see, this smells of you. _But_ , it also smells like the rice balls you sometimes carry around in your bag. And it smells like trees and stuff because it's been thrown around in the woods. And it smells like Sakura, faintly, so she's held this kunai at some point. And I can smell the material your pack's made of on this kunai, too"  
He looked up, the other two boys were nodding, it made sense to them, but they didn't understand yet. "Guys, if Kakashi-sensei carried this pencil around in his pack, or his pocket or even on a string around his neck I would smell it. But it only smells like pencil and Kakashi-sensei. Meaning he's been carrying this around in a _very_ private spot… You get it now?"  
Sai dropped the pencil.

##########...##########

 _Friday, eleven-fifteen AM, a Konaha street corner,_

"What a worthless clue!" Ino wrinkled the piece of paper in her hand.  
"Uh… Ino? Can- can I see that please? Maybe my byakugan can pick something up."  
After a while of intense staring, Hinata sighted. "Nothing, it's just a piece of paper with the word 'sensei' written on it… "  
Lee jumped up and down, "Then we will just have to figure out the meaning to this clue through the power of youth! We will be the first to learn Kakashi-sensei's secret, because we will never give up!"  
"Lee!" Ino shouted, "Calm down! This isn't helping!"

##########...##########

 _Friday, eleven-thirty AM, Yakiniku Q,,_

"Lube, the man gave us a bottle of lube…" Shikamaru growled, "Think he's trying to tell us something?" He turned the clue-item round and round in his hands.  
"I dunno," Choji said, laying the meat on the grill, "Any of you a fan of cherries?"  
Shino looked bewildered, "Cherries?"  
"It's cherry-flavored. Has to mean _something._ "  
"Eat your fruit and veggies?" Shikamaru guessed, making his boyfriends laugh.  
"Maybe," Choji continued, "Or maybe it's something else. Maybe it has nothing to do with _us_ ,and everything to do with Kakashi-sensei."  
"So he likes cherries?" The Nara raised one eyebrow.  
Shino seemed to freeze on the spot. Slowly, he stated, "Or maybe his lover does…"

##########...##########

 _ **A/N:**_ _So just to recap, you have until chapter 8 gets uploaded to uncover Kakashi's secret, but you have to get it complete. I will not award points for half-answers… Your own plotbunny is at stake here, good luck!_


	7. Follow the clues

AUTHORS NOTE: I made a little mistake in the treasure hint… You don't have two chapters to figure it out, but _three._  
There is one more 'clue-chapter' And I'll upload that just before the weekend, giving you guys until Monday or maybe Tuesday to figure the whole thing out. 

Also, I played with the spacing a bit, tell me I this makes it easier to read… (I got a comment about it on another story of mine, so I thought I'd try this on both) 

##########...##########

 **Follow the clues;**

##########...##########

 _Friday, eleven-forty-five AM, Yakiniku Q,_

"So, you're seriously considering Kakashi's secret is that he's in a relationship?"Shikamaru smirked, "Now _that_ could be an interesting development…"

"I think it's a guy," Choji picked another piece of meat off the grill. His boyfriends stared at him, speechless, "Think about it, guys, _lube_?"

"You could very well be right, however, it _is_ cherry-flavored"

"Guys can like cherries, too, Shino" Shikamaru smirked, "So now we just gotta figure out who thinks cherry-flavored lube is a good idea…"

"Kakashi-sensei, obviously," The Akimichi had a lewd grin on his face, "I wonder if there's such a thing as barbeque flavored lube…?"

The Nara let his head drop in his hands, "God! I _hope_ not. Barbequed meat… _Anyone_?" The others looked at him in confusion, "Come on! _Meat_ … ? You know, like, your dick…" He finished quietly.

"You're right… bad idea…"

"I agree, Choji… The cherry, however…" Shino licked his lips. It was one of the most seductive things either of his boyfriends had ever witnessed.

"You wanna try it out, Shino?" The Nara asked in a throaty voice, he knew he was getting a hard-on, just from his boyfriends little display. Shino, sitting next to him, snaked a hand under the table and onto his boyfriend's lap. Causing a soft moan to escape Shikamaru's lips.

"I believe I would _love_ to try it out," The Aburame whispered.

"Guys…" Choji smirked at them, "We're in a restaurant, here…"

##########...##########

 _Friday, twelve-fifteen PM, Ninja Academy,_

"Hey, Iruka-sensei! Are you by any chance missing a pencil?"

"A pencil? Kiba, what are you talking about?" Iruka raised one eyebrow, puzzled.

"We got this" Naruto held up a pencil, wrapped in what looked like… A _handkerchief_? "It says on here that it's from here, so, we thought we'd ask"

"Naruto, where did you get that pencil?"

Kiba rubbed under his nose, "We got it from Kakashi-sensei, it's part of the treasure hunt"

 _Ah, so it's begun. Finally, I was starting to think Kakashi would never go through with it. This is going to be fun,_ "Sorry guys, but I'm not missing any pencils. Maybe one of the other sensei does, but honestly, we go through those things like crazy. And no-one really keeps track, so… "

"So it's not yours?" Sai asked.

"No, it's not mine. If you got it from Kakashi, it's probably his. I mean, it's just a pencil, after all, right?"

"So…" Kiba stepped a little closer to his old sensei, "You know anything else about this treasure hunt, Iruka-sensei?"

The scarred chuunin laughed, "I know a lot of things about it, Kiba, as do a lot of other people in the village. But the rules say I can't give you any answers unless you ask the right questions, and so far, you haven't. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to prepare for the lesson we're having after lunch break." _I wonder if anyone is going to ask the right questions… Anyway, I'm actually having a blast already…_

##########...##########

 _Friday, twelve-thirty PM, Ichi Raku Ramen,_

"Hello, could we ask you something?"

"Sakura ! What a pleasure to see you again, did you come to eat? Where's Naruto?" Teuchi was already working on the ramen, and actually, the three were hungry. So they sat down.

"So, Sakura, what did you want to ask me?"

"We were wondering what you could tell us about this coupon," She said, handing their clue-item over.

"A coupon, huh? Oh, is this from Kakashi's treasure hunt?" The three nodded, thanking Ayame as she served them their ramen.

"Ah, I see. Well there is a great deal I _could_ tell you about this coupon. But Kakashi set up some rules for this treasure hunt, you see. I can only tell you that it's indeed one of my coupons. And that, unless you ask me the right questions, I can't say anymore about it."

"I see… " Neji frowned, "So there are specific questions we must ask to get the answers needed to complete the treasure hunt…"

"Oh, oh, I know!" Tenten raised her hand in excitement, before clearing her throat to ask in a low voice, "Who did you give this coupon too?"

Teuchi smiled, "I gave it to Kakashi Hatake."

"Oh…" Tenten was disappointed, she really thought she'd figured it out.

"Tenten, wait, you may be on to something," Neji thought for a little while, "Was he alone when you gave him this?"

"No, he wasn't."

"Then who was Kakashi-sensei with?" Sakura was starting to get into it at this point, their clue was paying off after all!

"Let's see… I believe he was with Gai at the time…"

"Gai-sensei?" Tenten looked bewildered, "So _he_ knows more about this?"

The old man shrugged, "You should go and ask him that, _after_ you pay for your ramen, that is."

##########...##########

 _Friday, one PM, jounin lounge,_

"So, I heard Kakashi's finally started his treasure hunt," Kurenai looked around at the assembled jounin, "Apparently he has them running all over the place to solve the riddle in the next twenty-four hours."

Gemna rolled his senbon around in his mouth, "So it's finally game-time. I was wondering how long he was going to make us wait, when the guy came up with this whole scheme he got me all excited, but that was months ago!"

Raidou stretched his arms, "Relax Genma, he's been planning this the whole time, you know. Besides, it's kind of a big deal for Kakashi, isn't it?"

"Yeah, I guess…" Gemna sighted before looking over at his friend, "You know your role?"  
"We all do, right?"

There were some nods, and approving vocalizations; everyone knew their part to play- and looked forward to it. Kakashi's plan was elaborate, and well thought-out. 

"Sensei! We have come to ask you a question!" Lee jumped into the jounin lounge, waving a little scrap of paper around. Ino and Hinata followed a bit calmer.

"We would like to know what you could tell us about the clue Kakashi-sensei gave us," The Hyuga explained.

"And which clue would that be, Hinata?" Kurenai smiled, the girl had come a long way being able to speak in public like this.

"It's just a scrap of paper with the word 'sensei' written on it," Ino put one hand on her hip, obviously irritated already.

This was Genma's queue, so he stood up to take the offered piece. "Well, it's paper, and there's writing on it- with ink, no less. And yes, this writing indeed spells the word 'sensei'."

Ino snapped, "We _know_ that already! What else can you tell us?!"

"Nothing, unless you ask the right questions. That's how the game is played, kids" The jounin smiled, this was indeed fun.

##########...##########

 _Friday, two PM, a tree in the Konoha woods,_

 _They're never going to figure it out like this… Everyone is working alone, even within the teams there's hardly any real teamwork going on. Is it really so difficult to understand? I even spelled it out for them; You could lay all the clues next to each other. I never said there would only be one winner, or one team that could win, either. So now they're all scrambling for information they could already have… It's a little sad, actually…_

 _I'm sure I taught Sakura and Naruto better than that. And I'm pretty sure the others did the same with their teams, so why isn't anyone working together?_

 _And here I was, offering to pay everyone's dinner for an entire month! What are they, stupid?_

 _ **A/N:**_ _Maybe this info will help, let's see if you can't push your own little plotbunny into this story, I wish you the best of luck!  
Next chapter will be up by Friday, maybe a day early if I get impatient ;)  
(Reviews might help with that… Come on, I wanna see all your guesses, but remember- No points awarded for half-righ…)_


	8. Follow the clues, part two

AUTHORS NOTE: You know what… I thought I should make this a little easier on you, It seems to be _very_ hard to figure out, so… I decided to write a little filler, help you out a little.  
This also means that after this chapter, there is one more to go, just before the weekend, and _after_ the weekend all shall be revealed. 

I'm actually getting quite excited about this myself, I stick if on being challenged. The whole 'give me your plotbunny thing' was completely spur of the moment, but now I kinda feel like I wanna try, so…

##########...##########

 **Follow the clues, part two;**

##########...##########

 _Friday, one-forty-five PM, Konoha streets,_

"Gai-sensei!" Tenten yelled excitedly, the girl couldn't believe her luck at running into the man right now. 

"Hello, my youthful students! What can I do for you on this _lovely_ youth-inspiring day?" He flashed one of his overly-excited smiles at the three, giving them a thumbs up. 

Sakura fought the urge to take a few steps back from the spandex clad sensei, instead putting on her sweetest smile, "We were wondering what you could tell us about the quest-item Kakashi-sensei gave us, Gai-sensei. Teuto from Ichi Raku Ramen said you were with him when he got this coupon," She held the item up for inspection, "So, we were hoping you could tell us about it" 

The older man leaned over for a close examination of the little piece of paper, winking at the girl who still held it up, "This is indeed the coupon that my eternal rival obtained while I was in his presence!" He all but yelled, before straightening himself again. 

Neji sighted, "Let me guess, we have to ask the right questions in order for you to tell us anything…" 

"This is correct! Now show me the power of youth through the intellect behind your questioning, Neji!" 

_Intellect?!_ Sakura all but scoffed, _Like_ _ **you**_ _have any of_ _ **that**_ _, Gai-sensei! You're just here to stall us, aren't you…? I actually don't think you have anything to do with this clue, or Kakashi-sensei's secret for that matter.  
My sensei would never be that obvious, besides, I highly doubt there is anything about your relationship to him that could be considered a secret…  
_

Neji remained silent for a short while also, trying to work out what questions he should ask while at the same time attempting to push any thoughts about Shino out of his mind. The latter proved to be increasingly difficult as he saw Team D come around a corner. They were still a ways away, but Neji really didn't care for bumping in to them. He frowned. 

Tenten, on the other hand, was having fun with it, asking her sensei one question after another, getting completely off track in the process, "So, where were you guys headed when Kakashi-sensei got that coupon?" 

"I was headed over to my house, after winning another challenge!" The man boasted, "I am not sure where my rival was headed, as he said he had other things to do that day." 

"Okay… Did he say _what_ things?" 

"My rival seemed to be intending to take a shower after our challenge- in which I beat him, at rock-paper-scissors. He also seemed inclined to take a walk later in the evening, to where I do not know" 

"What was Kakashi-sensei doing when you challenged him, then?" 

"He'd found a comfortable tree to read in" 

Tenten furrowed her brow, crossing her arms as she didn't know what to ask next- these questions didn't seem to be doing the trick _at all_. 

"Gai-sensei…?" Sakura sounded too sweet; any other would have tried to run for it, knowing the girl's strength and temper, but Gai simply encouraged her, yelling some phrase or another about 'the power of youth'  
"How many times have you defeated Kakashi-sensei?" 

"I have defeated him many times, in many different challenges. My eternal rival is extremely skilled, as am I" 

Neji, at this point, found that the unwelcome trio was getting too close, so he quickly ended the conversation with a curt, "Thank you, Gai-sensei, we will be on our way now"  
Before almost dragging his two teammates out of there.

##########...##########

 _Friday, one-forty-five PM, Konoha streets,_

Meanwhile, across town,  
"If no-one keeps track of those things, how are we going to figure this out?" Kiba was seated on the backrest of a wooden bench, his two teammates sitting at his feet. They felt defeated, as their clue had not yielded any results. 

Sai was scribbling something in his notebook, drawing just to vent some steam.  
As Naruto leaned over to steal a glance at the drawing, the other boy quickly withdrew- he didn't like other people looking on as he drew. 

"Hey, that looks just like that cherry tree over there!" The blonde pointed, "See, the one with the shuriken stuck in it" 

" _Shuriken?!_ " Kiba all but yelled out, "A shuriken!" He jumped off the bench, walking over to the tree Naruto'd pointed out. Examining the shuriken closely, he felt a huge grin tuck at the corners of his mouth. "You guys! This thing smells like him!" 

"It smells like Kakashi-sensei?" Sai moved to stand beside the Inuzuka, "Is it the same as the pencil?" 

Kiba pulled a face, "Eew! No!" He contemplated the raven-haired boy's statement for a moment, "And how would he even _do_ that? I mean… That thing's sharp, you know…" 

Naruto, by this point, yanked at the shuriken, pulling it out. As he did so, Kiba's statement proved to be absolutely true as he cut his finger on one of the sharp edges of Kakashi's weapon.  
He stuck his finger in his mouth, turning away from the other two so they wouldn't catch the glint of the tears forming in his eyes, "Hey, isn't that where Hinata lives?" 

The Inuzuka followed his gaze, agreeing with his teammate, "Yeah, so what?" 

"I dunno, doesn't matter, I guess… I mean we all live all over the place, right?"  
As the others concurred, Sai took the offered shuriken, safely tucking it away between the pages of his sketchbook.  
"Perhaps if we spoke with Hinata's father?"

##########...##########

 _Friday, one PM, Jounin Lounge,_

"Nothing, unless you ask the right questions. That's how the game is played, kids" The jounin smiled. 

This, of course, only served to upset Ino more, but the thought of Kakashi-sensei's embarrassed face as she unraveled all the man's secrets kept her from acting up too much.  
"Is it his handwriting?" 

"I believe so, not that Kakashi's handwriting is so incredibly distinctive, but I just happened to be there when he wrote that," The man was still smiling, rolling the senbon around in his mouth. 

"Were- were you present when Kakashi-sensei obtained the paper?" Hinata asked hesitantly. 

"I was not," Another whirl at the metal between his lips, "However, I _do_ distinctly remember him saying something about it…" 

"What did he say?" Ino was quick to jump in, _**Finally**_ _, we're getting somewhere!  
_

"I believe… Now, you'll have to excuse me if I didn't quote his exact words right, but he said something like-" 

"Like?!" 

"It's a shame to tear this off, really," Gemna winked, "That's what he said" 

_Again with the useless nonsense! Stupid Kakashi-sensei, stupid Genma, stupid treasure hunt…  
_

And none of them thought to think from what paper the silver-haired jounin had torn this little corner…

##########...##########

 _Friday, three PM, Konoha forest,_

"So, Kakashi, how's the treasure hunt going? Anyone getting close yet?" 

"You tell me, what did Kiba and his team ask you about?" The jounin jumped down from the branch he'd been sitting on, landing beside Iruka. 

"Asked if it was mine, which I denied, because I gave it to you," The brunette smiled up at the other man, "That was the correct answer, right?" 

"It was, it's my pencil, since you gave it to me. Also," Kakashi held up a one finger, waving it in Iruka's face, "They _should_ realize by now how strange that is…" 

"Maybe, but those three aren't the most clever of people. Apart from Sai, maybe, but he has no idea about social interactions" Iruka shoved his hands in his pockets, _I wonder if there's one of them watching now. Should I risk it? Nah… It's more fun if they figure it out themselves, I shouldn't accidentally give anything away…  
_

"Iruka… Was that the only team that came to see you?" 

"Yeah… Hey, that's kind of weird when you think about it, right?" 

"I would say so…." Kakashi seemed to hesitate for a brief moment, "You coming over later?" 

"You're place? Been a while, might as well…" The chuunin smiled up again, "But don't you have to keep an eye on them?" 

Kakashi groaned, "I probably should… But it's no fun this way. They're all just running around, making everything even more confusing for themselves. To be honest, I expected a bit more from them…" 

"You _did_ make this whole thing incredibly elaborated… Are you nervous that some of them may actually figure it out…?" Iruka asked tentatively, not wanting to make the other uncomfortable as he knew all too well that this was a very anxious Kakashi he was talking to. 

The silver-haired man rubbed the back of his head, "Maybe a little… I mean, I kind of downplayed the whole thing to them, but… Yeah… It's kind of a biggie, I guess…" 

The schoolteacher tenderly placed his hand on the other's arm, finding it to be trembling, "It'll be all right," he spoke softly, "I'm sure they'll all just accept-" 

"Iruka, stop. Not here, not now. Tonight, okay? We'll talk tonight," Seeing the younger man nod, Kakashi turned, "I guess I should go see what they're up to…"

##########...##########

 _ **A/N:**_ _Okay… Let's see what you make of this one… Again, don't assume_ _ **anyone**_ _is right about_ _ **anything**_ _, but also,_ _ **don't**_ _assume that they are all_ _ **wrong**_ _…  
That's really all I'm gonna say about this, you figure it out!  
(also, I'm sorry for the poor beta, I wrote and uploaded this in like, an hour…? So yeah, but like I said before, I'm kinda getting __**real**_ _excited about all this…)_


	9. Kakashi's mind games revealed…

AUTHORS NOTE: This is your last chance to figure out Kakashi's little secret, _and_ you get the added bonus of being able to pick the genius brain of Shikamaru Nara, or at least… Listen to his conclusions on this.

##########...##########

 **Kakashi's mind games revealed…**

##########...##########

 _Friday, six-thirty PM, The Nara kitchen,_

"Thanks for doing this, mom. I know it's a lot to ask to suddenly cook for twelve"

Yoshino smiled at her son, "It's all right, so long as no-one expects anything too fancy."

Earlier that day, Shikamaru's team had let a call go out to the other teams participating in Kakashi's treasure hunt. Asking them all to join them for dinner at Shikamaru's house. 

The brilliant strategist had figured out Kakashi's set-up, and he wasn't planning on keeping it to himself, either. In fact, it was quite clear to him that they all needed to work together on this. Wasn't Kakashi Hatake the one always preaching about teamwork?

##########...##########

 _Friday, seven PM, The Nara kitchen,_

"Well, Shikamaru, we're all here. You said you knew the secret, so tell us" Neji found it hard to keep the contempt out of his voice as he looked at one of the two people that had stolen his love from him. 

The tree chuunin sat next to each other, Shikamaru in the middle as seemed to be their preference.

"Settle down, Neji. I didn't say I figured it out. I said I knew _how_ to figure it out. And you could at least thank my mother for cooking for all of you on such short notice" The Nara smirked, somehow Neji seemed to have a real problem with him, and he was going to find out why.

Yoshino was clearing the table at this point, with some help from Sakura and Lee. Most of their guests had already thanked her for the –honestly- delicious meal, however, Neji had neglected to do that. And it somehow angered Shikamaru, even though his mother hadn't even seemed to have noticed. The woman had been showered with praise already, and couldn't exactly tell who had said what. But something in her sons voice made her pay extra attention to the Hyuga, realizing he indeed hadn't said a word so far. She gracefully accepted his thanks, albeit a little late, moving away from the table and into the kitchen area. She sent her two helpers back to the group, telling them she'd take care of the rest of the dishes. With half her attention focused on her work, the other half was directed at the conversation behind her.

"So, you all remember what Kakashi said before he divided us up amongst these teams?" Shikamaru started. There were nods all around, and Ino even went as far as telling him to hurry up already. 

But Shikamaru wasn't in the mood for that. "Just to recap, he _said,_ 'This is as much a teambuilding exercise as it is to practice information gathering'."

"We _know_ that, Nara. Get to the point already," Neji wasn't going to wait forever. The only reason he was here in the first place was because Sakura and Tenten had insisted. As far as Neji was concerned, at this point, Shikamaru Nara and Choji Akimichi could drop death for all he cared.

Shikamaru simply smirked, crossed his arms and leaned back. "I am under no obligation to tell you anything, you know… I could just sit here and wait for time to run out. It's not like I care so much, anyway…"

"No, Shikamaru, don't mind Neji, he's been in an awful mood all day," Tenten was quick to smooth things over, "We all came because we want to hear what you have to say, so please."

 _All day, huh? Wonder what stick the guy has up his ass_ _ **this**_ _time- Wait a minute… After Kakashi went on about how Neji should also be notified, before even mentioning Tenten and Lee… Yes, back at the restaurant Shino said something about having dated the guy for a while. That's why he hates me? That's just pathetic!_

 __"Kakashi also said, that he didn't care if we put all our clues together or if we went our separate ways. Sakura, Naruto, doesn't that strike you as odd?"

He watched as the remaining members of the original 'Team Kakashi' thought about it, finally coming to the conclusion, that yes, it was a bit strange. 

"Kakashi-sensei's very first lesson was all about teamwork," Sakura said slowly, "And how you have to trust the other members of your team. He also taught us that you have to work with every ally you can…"

"Yeah, what was it he said again?" Naruto interjected, "Something like… 'Those who abandon the rules are scum, but those who abandon their friends are worse than scum'… Right, Sakura?"

"Wow, I can't believe you actually remembered!" 

The compliment embarrassed Naruto, rubbing the back of his head as he mumbled something about how amazing Sakura was. 

Shikamaru ignored it. 

"So, he all but told us to work together as one big team," The young Nara stated, "And we haven't been doing that. So I think we should all lay our clues on the table and then explain what we've been doing all day. That way, we might trick the guy into buying us _all_ dinner for a month, sound good?" 

Most agreed, only Neji grumbled. But, as Tenten pointed out; two out of three votes were _for_ Shikamaru's plan, so Neji had to cooperate. 

Naruto put down a pencil, covered with a handkerchief, "Oh, eh, the hanky isn't a part of it," He quickly pulled it away, leaving only an academy pencil behind. 

Ino pulled out a small scrap of paper, it had the word 'sensei' written on it, and looked to be torn off a larger piece of paper. 

Sakura held up a coupon for a free bowl of ramen from Ichi Raku's, it had expired months ago. 

Lastly, Choji added the bottle of cherry-flavored lube. Blushing as he added their item to the ones on the table.

Shikamaru noticed the raised eyebrows when Choji put their clue-item down, Neji seemed to want to say something but apparently decided against it. Frowning as he crossed his arms.  
"Right then, Team A, report."

"We're Team A," Kiba started, "We figured out the pencil we got smelled of nothing else but Kakashi, and it had the academy logo on it. So we went to talk to Iruka-sensei, asking if he was missing any pencils. He told us that no-one keeps track of those, so we're none the wiser. When we asked further he said that we had to ask the right questions in order to get answers, and we didn't have the right questions, so…" 

"But we also found one of Kakashi-sensei's shuriken in one of the cherry trees in the park. It had not been there very long," Sai added, "We looked for more clues, but didn't find anything else."

"Okay… Team B?"

"That is us," Lee proclaimed, "We received a piece of paper with the word 'sensei' written on it and proceeded to talk to the jounin in the jounin's lounge."

"We talked with Kurenai-sensei and with Genma," Hinata continued, "They also told us that we did not have the correct questions to ask. And nothing came of that."

Ino jumped in, "We sought out Kakashi-sensei's house, and watched it until we got your message, but he never came home."

"I guess that's to be expected, he's probably hiding somewhere so he won't give anything away," Choji remarked.

"True, but that might also mean there are clues to be found in his apartment, anyway, let's first hear what Team C has been up to," Shikamaru took charge, knowing they'd listen to him.

It was Sakura who spoke, "We got the Ichi Raku coupon, so we went to Ichi Raku Ramen. But we only confirmed that it was legit, we didn't have the right questions either…"

Neji smirked, "It was good ramen though"

As Naruto cut in with a long list of why Ichi Raku's was the best, Shikamaru started to feel annoyed. This wasn't going so well, "Did you find out anything else?" He cut off Naruto, hoping there would be something more to this story.

"Not really," Tenten looked disappointed, "After lunch we questioned a lot of people, but they either didn't know anything, or said we didn't have the right questions…"

 _Again with this question thing… What questions should we be asking? It seems there are people waiting to hear the right question and give an answer as another clue, but we have no idea what the questions are, so how are we going to get the answers?_

 __Shikamaru only barely listened as Choji explained that they'd been staring at the weird clue pretty much all day, until Shikamaru had realized that everyone needed to work together, see the clues together.

 _A pencil, a piece of paper, a coupon and a bottle of lube… What do they have in common…?  
Shino and Choji suggested that it meant Kakashi was involved with some guy who likes the taste of cherries, but neither has brought that up yet. Are they embarrassed to say it? It's just a wild theory, after all… Wait, they also found a kunai in a cherry tree, didn't they? And Kakashi's place…  
_

"Ino, Kakashi's place, did it seem… lived in? Like he's there a lot?" 

"No, but isn't he away on missions most of the time?" 

"Not really," Sakura cut in, "Lately he's been training Naruto, and before that he was in the hospital. But he should be home every day now…" 

"He isn't. Trust me. There was no sign he'd been there in weeks, there was even dust on the floor!" Ino shivered, she really hated seeing dust anywhere.

Shikamaru motioned for silence as the entire group was now talking, "Choji, Shino, I think it's time to break out your theory. Mind if I do the honors? I think I have a few things to add…"

 _ **A/N**_ _: Guessing time, people! I will give you a couple days time, so you can properly think on it.  
Next chapter will be uploaded on Monday, probably… If I can't manage that, it will be Tuesday morning.  
Your very own plotbunny is at stake here! So give me your best!  
And remember, __**BE SPECIFIC**_ _.  
I will not award points for half-right. Really, you could put the answer down in a single sentence, maybe less if you forgo proper grammar, so…_


	10. Plans in motion

AUTHORS NOTE: Okay, so yes, I was supposed to wait. Only I wanted to upload.  
Honestly… I kinda missed the review I was expecting after the last chapter, you still thinking on it, Vicky?  
Anyway, I just wanted to upload _something_ , so here's a little teaser. I highly doubt you'll find any clues in this, but it's just a fun little thing to pass the time ^.^

##########...##########

 **Plans in motion**

##########...##########

 _Friday, eight-thirty PM, Nara Compound,_

After dinner, the Konoha Twelve made ready to leave the Nara compound, on their way to unravel Kakashi-sensei's secret. 

"Are you _sure_ about this, Shikamaru?" The pinkette sounded a little anxious, what they were planning next could potentially put them all in a world of hurt. It wasn't exactly _legal_ either… 

"Yeah, I'm sure. Can't miss it, it's really the only possible explanation… Oy, Naruto, you know the plan, right?" 

"Yeah, yeah, I know, stop nagging!" The blonde formed the sign, "Multi-Shadowclone Jutsu!" 

A few moments later, the Konoha Twelce had changed into the Konoha Twenty-four, with every one of them staring at a perfect doppelganger. 

"Great, you remember where everyone lives, right?" 

"Yeah, Kiba, I do. Just give them the note to give to your parents so they can get out of here, already! Kakashi-sensei has to believe everyone's in bed, right?" 

So they quickly turned over their little notes; parents might notice if their own kid didn't remember where their bedroom was all of the sudden. That's why Tenten had suggested they would all write the explanation down, and sign it. 

This way, Naruto's shadowclones wouldn't have to face the wrath of everyone's parents.  
Hopefully they would all cooperate. 

The group waited for about ten more minutes before sneaking out into the night.  
By tomorrow morning, Kakashi Hatake's secret would be no more.

##########...##########

 _ **A/N:**_ _Yes, I know this is incredibly short, and it isn't going to help you figure anything out, either.  
But like I said, I wanted to upload something, maybe evoke another review, it's not like I limited the amount of guesses, right?  
Anyway, just be sure to be specific, no vagueness ;)  
_

_Hope you enjoyed this little chappy, I sure had fun writing it xD (But then, I know what's going to happen next…)_


	11. Busted!

AUTHORS NOTE: So… The plotbunny challenge remains unclaimed – _Sort of._  
No-one actually came out *winces* and said it straight up *winces again*  
I'm kind of thinking the wrong kinds of words here… lol. 

Anyway, I'm uploading this now, I know it's like, way late. But life kind of got in the way, so… Yeah, sorry about that.  
I'll also be uploading the next chapter immediately, as a sort of apologetic gesture, I suppose. 

I hope you'll like this! 

Thank you SymphonicGirl, Shadowrealm11 and Xmcycles for following, and VictoriaLovesSmut and Jaz101 for favoriting! Means the world, people, and _reviews_ … They make me squeal like a fangirl!

##########...##########

 **Busted!**

##########...##########

 _Saturday, one AM, Inside a Konoha apartment,_

They laid in wait. A group of predators, waiting for the prey to come home. Waiting for their presence to be revealed, to _mean_ something.  
To know the truth they'd sought.  
And to get their free dinner…

##########...##########

 _Saturday, one-fifteen AM, Konoha streets,_

"So, they only have until tomorrow morning, eleven o'clock?" 

"Yep, and at the rate _they're_ going, they're never going to figure it out," Kakashi smiled, "They're all in bed, now, though. I checked." 

"So we have no reason to sneak around right now?" A playful nudge. 

"None at all." 

"Then why are we going to my place? I thought you said you wanted to go to yours tonight?" 

"They've been staking out my apartment today. Someone might've gotten clever and set a few traps or alarms. And I'm too tired to want to go find and dismantle them first…" 

"Tired from _what_ , exactly?" 

"Observing… They really were _all_ _over_ the place…" 

"Kakashi, I _know_ you like this situation you've put us all in, there's really no need to pretend around me," A quick peck on masked lips, "Besides, I didn't really feel like going to your dusty old place, anyway." 

"It's only dusty because you insist I spend every free moment I have with you." 

Kakashi smiled again, pushing the other against a nearby wall for a long and passionate kiss.  
After the copy ninja had pulled his mask back up, the two continued their way through empty streets. 

"You know, someday you're gonna pull that mask down when there's some actual _light_ around…" 

"Am I?" 

"Kakashi… You know how I hate that thing. It keeps me away from one of the my most precious belongings."  
"My lips are yours?" 

"Absolutely. Mine, mine alone." 

They were walking up the steps to the apartment now, impatience growing with every step, "I want you, _now,_ " Kakashi growled, pulling at clothes, trying to discard the offending fabric.  
The copy ninja's impatient attitude clearly hindered the turning of the lock, but he didn't even notice. He wanted his love, _right now!_

As they finally stumbled inside, the lights turned on without either of them getting even remotely close to the switch. 

"Busted!" 

"Told you it had to be Iruka-sensei…" 

"No way that's an appropriate way for a schoolteacher to behave, sensei!" 

"So _that's_ why you're never home, Kakahsi-sensei?" 

"Lookin' _good_ …!" 

"What the…" Kakashi was visibly shocked at the sight before him. They were all here, all twelve of them. In Iruka's apartment.  
Whistling, joking, _watching_. 

Kakashi Hatake was known to be a notorious pervert, but he suddenly felt embarrassed about the way he presented himself now. Almost hanging on Iruka, one hand inside the other's pants, the other trying to pull them down- he quickly pulled them back up, though. Heated, panting, and- well, noticeably excited. 

Iruka, too, grew redder by the second, carefully detaching his clingy boyfriend from his own body. "I thought you said they were all asleep," He whispered. 

"Thought so…" 

Shikamaru smirked, "Naruto makes _excellent_ shadow clones, and his clone jutsu has been seriously improved as well." 

Iruka turned to his boyfriend, his tone both amused and annoyed at the same time. 

"You _fell_ for that?!" 

"I… Got a little sidetracked…" 

"Well, Kakashi-sensei, you owe us a month's worth of dinners each now," Choji smiled happily, probably thinking about the menu over at Yakiniku Q. 

"I suppose I do… Iruka, could you maybe lend me some money? I think I'm gonna be short on rent next month…" 

Kakashi'd pulled himself together again, trying to find a posture that would at least _somewhat_ hide his erection. 

Iruka closed the door behind them, shaking his head at this entire situation.  
 _Well, looks like this'll be our company for the night…  
_

"No sweetheart, I don't think so. You made this bet, and I'm _not_ getting involved."  
He turned back to the assembled forces in his room, "Anyone up for tea? I'm _really_ curious to know how you guys outsmarted this one…"

##########...##########

 _Saturday, one-forty-five AM, Iruka's apartment,_

Somehow, Iruka'd managed to pull enough cups together for everyone to have some tea. And now he sat on his bed, next to Kakashi, looking around a very over-crowded room as he tried to make sense out of this whole situation. 

It seemed like everyone was talking right now, and he tried to catch all of it.  
The conversation was completely dominated by the entrance Kakashi and he had made, and some of the things he heard falling out of the mouths of those who he'd once known as little children made him blush. Sure, they hadn't exactly been discreet – _his_ fault – but he hadn't even realized these kids _knew_ words like that!

Kakashi had pushed himself up against Iruka, they knew now anyway, and he needed to be close to his lover right now. Ashamed of how they'd caught them, the jounin almost wished he had never started this. 

"Okay, that's enough, you guys!" Iruka had had it with this topic, "Why don't you just tell us how you ended up here? That's what _I_ want to know. You can discuss our private affairs later, where I can't hear my students use such language…" 

This made them laugh, Iruka decided to wait it out, instead turning to give his boyfriend a peck on the cheek, "You wanna know, too, don't you?" 

"Definitely." The man sounded grumpy. Well, he _did_ just get cheated out of sex, something Kakashi never took lightly…

"It's all Shikamaru, he figured the whole thing out" 

"Well… That makes sense… I guess," Kakashi sat up straight, "So, Shikamaru, how did you do it?" 

"Simple, really. You kept hinting we should work together, put our clues together, stuff like that. So I invited everyone over for dinner, and we did just that.  
The pencil and the piece of paper obviously pointed to the fact that there was an academy teacher involved somehow. Because of the lube, Shino thought the big secret might be that you were in a relationship, and Choji added that it would have to be a guy. It doesn't take a genius to figure the last clue out; Ichi Raku is Iruka-sensei's favorite restaurant." 

"Sweetheart, you forgot about one little detail… You didn't count on _Shikamaru_ ," Iruka winked at his lover, barely containing his amusement. 

Kakashi nodded, "I know… I thought that even _if_ one of them would figure out they had to work together, the promise of free food and bragging rights would keep everyone else from aiding them…" 

"Kakashi-sensei…?" Sakura teased, "You forgot something else: Teamwork is everything –straight from the teachings of Kakahi-sensei"

"Ah, you're right. I always seem to forget how much you've all learned already… But," He put one finger in the air, "You missed a couple things. For example; I _know_ Kiba found my shuriken. Does any of you have any idea why that was there?" 

They fell silent for a moment, but soon enough Shikamaru spoke up again, "He found it in a cherry tree, right? The lube was cherry-flavored… So what's this about cherries… " 

Iruka watched as the boy tried to make sense of it, eventually deciding to give them a hint, "You know, I happen to have a _very_ romantic boyfriend. And he _never_ forgets an anniversary, or special place." 

Hinata covered her mouth with her hands, fidgeting as she all but whispered, "Was it your first kiss?" 

"Hinata… Am I really _that_ obvious?" Kakashi stared at the Hyuga girl. 

"You're boyfriend just helped us out," The Nara smirked, "Besides, you're forgetting something again… That tree? It's right across from Hinata's window. She probably saw you guys there, but before you came in, Iruka-sensei complained about how you never take off your mask when there's any light around. So I'm guessing she didn't even recognize you in the dark. That about right, Hinata?" 

"Ye-yes… It was a while ago, I thought I recognized Kakashi-sensei because of his hair, but I didn't want to pry, so…" 

Kakashi let himself drop back on the bed.  
 _This is unbelievable…  
_

"Okay, but you still missed some other things, and I'd left you all these clues so you'd chase them down and time would run out on you…" 

"Like what?" Neji asked. 

"The date on the coupon, for example…" 

Choji smiled, "Let me guess, first date." 

"Correct, and the piece of paper, any idea where that came from?" 

"It's a menu from the teahouse you called us to this morning, but it's an old one because they changed the menu almost a year ago," Tenten knew her way around the teahouses, and this one was actually pretty easy. 

"Know what happened there?" Kakashi was having fun again, talking about their relationship like this was… Refreshing. 

"If they changed the menu a year ago," Shikamaru looked at Tenten for conformation, then over at Hinata, "When did you see them under the cherry tree, Hinata?" 

"I- I think it was about eight months ago…" 

"Hmm… " 

Iruka laughed, "This one is a little more difficult, Shikamaru. Actually… I think _I_ don't even remember…" 

"Wait, seriously?" Kakashi shot up, looking at his boyfriend in bewilderment. 

"No, I don't… You're the one who remembers these things…" 

Kakashi muttered to himself, "Seriously… " 

"Well? What happened there?" Sakura was curious now, and it didn't look like Shikamaru was going to figure it out. 

"That was the first time I asked you out… I took the menu with me, because I wanted something to remember that day. And I circled all the things on there that you said you liked. I still have it. You really don't remember, babe?" 

" _Awwww_!" Ino, Sakura and Tenten had huddled together, reveling in the cuteness of Kakashi-sensei. 

The man started to blush again, "Ladies, please… Don't…" 

Out of the blue, Kiba jumped up, "But, but- the pencil!" 

"What about it?" The jounin looked surprised. 

"You- you had it… It's… " 

"Kiba seems to be certain that you stored that pencil somewhere _inside_ your body, as it has no other scents than yours on it," Sai finished what Kiba could not. 

As the impact of what Sai'd said sunk in, there were immediate signs of disgust on the three huddled up girls' faces. 

Iruka burst out laughing, almost falling off the bed as Kakashi's face dropped. 

After a while, when Iruka started to calm down, Kakashi spoke, slowly. 

"Actually… I just used a jutsu that washes away all scents but my own… But, uh… That's some… _creative_ thinking there, Kiba," He produced a small smile, "Anyway… That being an academy issued pencil and all… It was _supposed_ to symbolize that Iruka is mine… Without all the dirty thoughts, not that we don't do dirty things, but…" 

This time, Iruka actually _did_ fall off the bed laughing. Several others fell over as well, leaving Kiba and his team a little embarrassed to have even believed it possible. 

"But… But you're a _pervert,_ everybody knows _that_!" 

"Kiba, even _I'm_ not _that_ bad… Oh my, you _really_ believed I would hand you a pencil I'd been keeping _inside_ me?! Like, where? Oh, _no_ you didn't! I _\- Kiba_!" 

The Inuzuka turned an even brighter shade, his dirty mind revealed for all to enjoy. 

When the laughter finally calmed down a bit, Choji nudged Shino. 

"What're you thinking?" 

"I was trying to figure out how you'd get a pencil _out_ again…" 

##########...##########

 _ **A/N:**_ _I seriously never even considered that the piece of paper could have come from his Icha Icha books xD Weird, huh…  
But, I think this is way more romantic, anyway :)_


	12. Revealing oneself can be a scary thing

AUTHORS NOTE: OMG, I cannot _believe_ I am actually admitting to this… But yeah… I actually did some research on BJ's, you guys happy?  
You better be, me reading through all that, even going to watch youtube instructional videos… Better write a review to thank me if you liked it ;) 

##########...##########

 **Revealing oneself can be a scary thing**

##########...##########

 _Saturday, three AM, Konoha streets,_

The group had finally vacated Iruka´s apartment, the Konoha twelve were at last on their way home. 

"My house is closest," Shino said softly. 

He felt a little awkward with everyone around, and didn't really want to come out and ask his boyfriends to come home with him. They understood this, like they all understood so many things about one another. Shino was a bit shy, and there was nothing wrong with that. 

"I don't think I've ever been to your house before," Choji replied in the same soft tone. 

"Neither of you have, but… I'd like you to…" 

"Me too," Shikamaru placed a chaste kiss on the Aburame's cheek, startling as he heard a chorus of 'Awww's' coming from all around. 

Looking up, the three realized their friends were still here, and _watching_. Shino immediately withdrew deeper in his hoodie, pulling his shoulders up so his high collar would hide more of his face. Hands clenching to fists in his pockets. 

Neither Choji nor Shikamaru really knew what to do now, they couldn't really ask their friends to leave, but dragging Shino out of here didn't exactly feel right either. 

It was Hinata who came to their rescue. Suddenly stepping in between the boys until she stood directly in front of the Aburame. 

"Shino, please don't pull yourself away from us. I understand you're feeling a little embarrassed right now, and you'd rather no-one said anything. But really we're all just pleased to see you're happy and everyone wanted to let you know that. So please don't be embarrassed, you're my friend and I'm really glad for you."

The boy relaxed a little at Hinata's words, even giving her a small smile, knowing this to have been one of the longest speeches the Hyuga had ever given in her life. 

"Hey, and at least people noticed you this time!" 

Of course Kiba had to ruin it. Choji'd felt so relieved to see his boyfriend calm down thanks to Hinata's words, and Kiba's interruption angered the soft-hearted boy. But before anyone could react, a small swarm of Kekaichu flew over to the Inuzuka, floating just before him. 

It took the insects some rearranging, but after a little while they clearly spelled the words: 'Shut up, Kiba'. 

"I've been practicing that," Shino said, turning to face his teammate, "It could actually come in handy on a number of occasions. Why, I could probably use this technique several times a day and it still would always fit perfectly." 

"Good one, Shino!" Naruto was laughing so hard he toppled over, and he wasn't the only one. 

Kiba grumbled something, but Shino didn't pay any attention to it, instead turning to his boyfriends again. 

"Choji, Shikamaru, would you please come home with me tonight?" He asked, clearly for all to hear. 

Choji's reply came in a tender tone, "We would love to, honey," So the three said their goodbyes and left. Proudly holding their heads high as they threw their arms around each other.

##########...##########

 _Saturday, three-fifteen AM, Konoha streets,_

A little ways away from the main group, all but hiding in the shadows, the Hyuga scoffed. 

_Get your filthy hands of off him! He's mine, you hear me? Shino Aburame is_ _ **mine**_ _.  
He may be with you two, right now…  
_

A disgusted frown appeared on his face. 

_But I know he'll be back.  
He will come back to me, you hear me? You are nothing. You are nobody. You don't know the first thing about love. __**I**_ _love him, you couldn't even begin to imagine how much I_ _ **love**_ _him.  
And he loves me too, I know he does. He has to. Because I love him. He needs to love me to, he has to.  
I know I made a mistake, I should have ignored him when he called your name, Nara. I know now I should have pretended I did not hear that. Did not understand.  
But you will not steal him away from me, Shikamaru Nara. You will __**not**_ _get him. I love him. I love him more than I love life itself.  
_

A quiet sob welled up in his throat, the soft sound completely drowned out by the laughing Uzumaki. 

_**I**_ _love him, not you. He loves_ _ **me**_ _, not you.  
I was supposed to spent the rest of my life with him, you can't have him.  
I love Shino.  
_

Turning on his heels, Neji made a silent exit. He knew he should walk Hinata home, but couldn't muster up the will to do so. He needed to be alone right now. 

_I_ _ **love**_ _him._

##########...##########

 _Saturday, three-fifteen AM, Iruka's apartment,_

"Sweety, they've _left_ … We could be making out now, you know…?" 

Iruka was longingly staring at his lovers backside. Said lover was perched on his knees on the bed, looking out the window that he'd cracked open just a little so he could hear what was going on down on the street. 

"Sst, I'm trying to _listen_ , Iruka" 

"I can tell…" The chuunin muttered, annoyed at his boyfriend. 

But at the same time he realized that Kakashi wouldn't be Kakashi if he _wouldn't_ try to listen in on the teenager's conversation. The man had an _insatiable_ curiousity. 

So Iruka decided to go through the bag Shikamaru'd left behind while he waited. The Nara had put all the clues they'd gotten and found in there, and it was something to do at least. Something to keep his mind off his boyfriends perfect, toned body. His perfectly defined abs, his perfect round ass. His perfect- right, the bag. 

Iruka calmly unpacked it, setting the items out on his table. Until he found one missing. The chuunin was _certain_ it should be there, shaking the now empty bag before going through each and every item again. 

Suddenly, he burst out laughing. 

"What's up?" Kakashi let himself drop to the floor behind his boyfriend, leaning over his shoulder while pulling Iruka back against him. 

"Did they leave, then?" 

"Yeah, I'm actually pretty proud of Shino, right now, but I'll tell you later. What's so funny?" 

Iruka held up a piece of paper he'd found in the bag, "The lube is missing, but I _did_ find this"  
The copy ninja took the offered paper, unfolding it to discover it was a note:

 _Iruka-sensei, Kakashi,  
Here's your stuff, figured you'd want it back.  
We kept the lube, though, it made Shino give me this wicked grin  
and I'm pretty sure I don't wanna miss whatever he's got planned.  
Oh, and Choji wants me to tell you guys he's happy for you,  
but I guess that goes for all of us,  
Have a good one,  
Shikamaru N._

Kakashi smiled, "Shino is really coming into his own…" 

As Iruka leaned back against his lover a little more he rested his head in the crook of the jounin's neck, "Why are you so proud of him, anyway?" 

He listened to his boyfriend explain what'd happened down on the street, all the while placing soft kisses along Kakashi's covered throat, "So it's really true, then?" He murmured against the soft fabric. 

"What is?" 

"I heard a rumor floating around the teacher's lounge about Shikamaru, Choji and Shino dating each other… I didn't pay much mind to it because it sounds so far-fetched, but…" 

"It's true, it's part of the reason I kind of pushed the treasure hunt into play ahead of schedule… But, babe… Could we talk about this later? You're kinda giving me a hard-on here…" 

Iruka smiled, increasing his efforts for a while. It wasn't long before he knew his lover to be putty in his hands. 

"You know… Since you've just forced me to endure my students seeing me in a _very_ compromising situation, you really owe me something tonight, Kakashi…" 

The silver-haired man moaned, "I'll make it worth your while, Iruka, just… Hmmm… Gimme a minute here… ah, please…" 

"Fine," The brunette scooted away from his love, a naughty smile on his face. Kakashi took a few moments to gather himself before getting up to close the window and draw the curtains. 

"You, bed." He said in a hoarse tone, moving away from the bed to turn off the lights in Iruka's apartment. 

This was always a given, seeing as even Iruka hadn't been granted the right to gaze upon the jounins face. The chuunin couldn't suppress a small sigh as he walked over to his bed, apparently not tonight either. 

He'd discarded all his clothes on the way over, knowing Kakashi would do the same. The need in both men too great now – taking things slow was not an option tonight.

The last switch created instant darkness in the room. Iruka never grew used to the sudden rush of adrenaline that always followed the darkness. 

He would never know exactly _how_ his lover would come to him – sometimes softly kissing, other times lubed up and ready to go – but it was _always_ amazing. Always _exactly_ what he needed at the moment, even if he didn't before realize it himself. 

Today, his cock was greeted first as it was suddenly enclosed by hot, wet and extremely skilled lips.  
Iruka moaned, bucking his hips. But strong, gently hands stabilized him, kept him still as Kakashi worked his wonders on his lovers throbbing member.

Starting slow, teasing the man already writhing under him, he licked his way up from the base, gently taking in Iruka's tip before releasing his hold again. His hands joined in on the fun, softly stroking before grabbing a firm hold. 

He could hear Iruka's loud moans, could hear his own join in on the symphony as Kakashi slowly took in more and more of Iruka. Twisting his head ever so slightly to increase the pleasure building up in his lover. He started sucking, returning to the tip for a while as his hands kept pumping. Trying to draw this out for as long as he possibly could. 

Which really wasn't too long at all. Kakashi smiled as around his lover as the taste he loved most in the world filled his entire mouth, engulfing all his senses. He kept working Iruka's flesh, drawing out every last drop of nectar before moving his body up to kiss perfect lips. 

Iruka slowly came back to him, using his tongue to clean the remainder of his essence out of Kakashi's mouth. The chuunin kept his eyes tightly shut, moaning into the kiss as tanned hands explored his lovers body. 

They broke apart, gasping, but the silver-haired man quickly recaptured his lovers lips, shifting his body slightly.

A sudden, bright light make Iruka's eyes fly open as he tried to pull out of their kiss. But Kakashi wouldn't relinquish his lips, he could feel his lover smile as he whispered, "Not yet."

##########...##########

 _Saturday, three-forty-five AM, Shino's room,_

The three boys had quietly snuck inside Shino's house, heading straight for his bedroom.He'd promised to show them around later, not wanting to wake his parents right now.

As soon as the young Aburame had closed the door behind them he could feel Shikamaru pressing up against his back, squeezing him between the wooden door and his own body. 

"Hey sexy," The Nara's voice was throaty as he purred, "Do your parents even know about us?" 

"About your existence, yes. About us dating… I am confident they will know this fact in the morning" 

Suddenly, his boyfriend moved away, "You haven't been home before, have you?" He sounded guilty, but Shino wouldn't have any of that. 

"I'm happy with the way I've spent my time these past days, there is no need for you to feel guilty over my absence from home," He moved towards his two boyfriends, standing side by side, "And you _really_ shouldn't neglect to follow through when you push up to me like that," The Aburame put out his hands, stroking the two in the crotch. 

Choji grabbed hold of Shino's hand, holding it still as he grinded against him. The Akimichi moaned softly, biting his lip in an effort to keep as quiet as possible. 

But Shikamaru carefully brushed away Shino's hand, "I'm not sure how much energy you two think you have left, but I'm exhausted… If you think you still can, though, I'll be happy to watch," There was a naughty grin on the boy's face as he licked his lips. 

It seemed to embarrass Choji, his face red-hot. However he gingerly stretched out one hand, gripping the fabric of Shino's hoodie and pulling him in for a shy kiss. Shino's left hand was free now Shikamaru had decided to only watch and he used this to his advantage by wrapping his arm around the other boy's shoulders, thereby increasing the pressure on their unified lips. 

As the passion increased, the kiss soon grew sloppy, something Shikamaru had never before realized was so sexy to watch. A small moan escaped his throat as he watched Choji's and Shino's tongues battle it out. Without any conscious thought, he let his hand slip inside his pants.

Choji was the first to break for air, leaning his forehead against Shino's. His eyes were closed as he panted, still holding on to Shino's hoodie. 

The latter allowed his gaze to drift over to Shikamaru, who, by this point, was panting as much as Choji was. Shino chuckled. 

"You really like watching us make out, don't you?" 

Somehow he'd expected his boyfriend to blush, getting caught masturbating to the kiss shared between his two lovers, but Shikamaru only nodded, squeezing a hoarse 'I do' between rapid breaths. 

Shino could feel Choji's member react to Shikamaru's voice and a naughty look appeared on his face. 

"Then what if I do _this_?" 

He gently pushed the Akimichi's back against the wall, dropping to his knees before the panting boy. Shino promptly got rid of Choji's pants and underwear, freeing his stiff cock. 

Shikamaru groaned as his knees gave way. He quickly pushed himself back, landing on the bed. 

"I think I _like_ that…" 

Shino could feel the Akimichi quivering. Looking up he intentionally kept his voice soft and warm,

"Choji, are you okay with this?" 

Choji stood very still for several long seconds, "Yes… But… I don't like being the only one that's naked…" He said in a small voice. 

"Then you won't be." 

Shino got up, placing a quick but soft kiss on the other's lips before swiftly removing his own clothes. He could hear Shikamaru to his left, doing the same. 

Once completely naked, he kissed Choji again, the kiss was sweet and intimate, but short. 

"Is it all right if I take your shirt off?" 

Choji didn't reply, instead pulling up the hem of his shirt himself. Shino could hear himself panting, his eyes closely watching as Choji revealed himself inch by excruciating inch. Keeping his hands to himself proved too difficult and the Aburame started softly stroking Choji's newly revealed body. 

The moment he touched him, Choji's breath hitched, freezing Shino in his place. 

"I-I'm sorry, Shino… You just startled me a little- it's okay, really," Choji swallowed hard before pulling his shirt of in one swift motion – it failed. 

He'd hurried too much, getting tangled up in the process. Instantly, all the mockery he'd had to endure as a child found their it's back to him. All the times he'd been made fun of because of his size. He felt way too exposed, right now, and panic started to bubble up.

The moment their boyfriend had gotten caught in his shirt he'd started to tremble, his breath got jagged and they could hear him whimpering. 

Shikamaru immediately got up from the bed, all else forgotten now. 

"Choji, calm down, it's me. You're safe, no-one is going to hurt you, I promise" 

Shino realized what was going on, adding his own voice to Shikamaru's, "We love you, Choji, and we'll never hurt you. You're safe here." 

Together they untangled the shaking boy, all the while talking to him, calming him down.  
When they'd finally gotten rid of the shirt they could see Choji's tears. 

"You're with us, you're safe," Shikamaru placed soft kisses along his boyfriends wet cheeks until they eventually didn't feel wet anymore. 

The tears had stopped, "I'm sorry guys…" 

Shikamaru hugged him tight, "Don't worry about it" 

Shino placed a kiss on the tip of the Akimichi's nose. 

"Please never apologize for having had bad experiences" 

Choji rewarded him with a watery smile before gently pushing the Nara away, blushing. 

"I know I was just crying and all, but… Hugging when we're naked has some… Side effects," He swallowed, "Don't look at it like that!" 

The boy moved his hands to cover himself, only to feel Shino softly brushing them aside again. He didn't look down, but instead kept his eyes fixed on Choji's. 

"We look, because we love the sight. Not to make fun of you, or embarrass you, but because we love you. And seeing you excited is a huge turn-on… I am sorry if I made you uncomfortable, I really am, but… It's difficult not to look. As right now, I'd like nothing more than to be allowed to suck you off" 

There was a small blush on his face, but he didn't look away.  
Choji's gaze dropped, unintentionally catching sight of exactly how _much_ of a turn-on his own erection appeared to be. 

"Shino… If I said no, would you… Would you be disappointed?" He couldn't manage more than a whisper, no matter how hard he tried. But it didn't matter. 

"A little," There was a warm smile on Shino's face, "But I wouldn't be disappointed in _you_ … I'm just extremely turned on right now and it might prove difficult to relieve myself in another way… At least it wouldn't be as fun"

Choji contemplated his lover's words for a moment before leaning in for another shy kiss. He kept his lips closed, but let his hands wander, pulling Shino closer until they touched over the full length of their bodies.

"Shino," He moaned against soft lips before running his tongue across them. His boyfriend immediately granted access, but let Choji take the lead. 

After a little while, he gingerly moved his hand, stroking Shino's erection. His lover shuddered at the contact, but stayed still. Choji started placing soft kisses on Shino's lips as he grabbed the other's length firmly. 

"Shino…" Choji kissed the tip of his lover's nose, like Shino had done to him, "Please… Suck me…" He panted. 

The Akimich could feel Shino smile against his lips, "I would love to suck you off, but I can't really move with you holding on to me like that…" 

A moan escaped his lips at the seductive tone his boyfriend used, and Choji pulled his hand down Shino's shaft in one, fluid motion before bringing his hand up to lick the pre-cum off his fingers.

"Honey, if you get any more seductive I won't be able to manage getting on my knees, let alone give you the treatment you deserve…"

"I deserve…?" 

Choji sounded playful, but too sexy for Shino. The Aburame moaned, feeling himself get weak in the knees. He allowed himself to slide down, positioning himself before Choji's twitching cock for the second time tonight. He'd almost forgotten about Shikamaru's presence, starting when he heard the Nara's voice. 

"Choji, is it all right with you if I watch?" 

"Hmmm…. I _want_ you to watch. I don't ever want to feel ashamed around either of you ever again… So watch us, and show me _exactly_ what we do to you…" 

Shino swallowed hard, even focusing on Choji's perfect erection was difficult with a conversation like _that_ going on… 

He gingerly stuck out his tongue, running it carefully across Choji's slit to recover the pre-cum that was about to drop to the floor. 

Choji's entire body jolted before he buried his hands deep in Shino's hair. The Aburame licked his lips, he was really going to enjoy this…


	13. When I can still taste you

AUTHORS NOTE: There you go! Here's your smut, you dirty little voyeurs ;)  
Nah, I'm only kidding, I _do_ realize I'm the one who started this story… :P 

**So, here's a little anecdote;** It was actually dinnertime, and I wanted to write this anyway. But the inspiration wasn't really flowing, so I (out loud) blamed it on being hungry.  
Guess what my sister said? "Maybe they're hungry, too"  
Yeah… She does _not_ know what this chappy is about… XD  
I lolled _so_ hard, I just _had_ to share…

Oh, and Beta? What's Beta? Just warning you guys… 

I just realized that I made Shikamaru call Shino 'Loverboy' which should be either 'Precious' or 'Sexy'.  
'Loverboy' being Shino's petname for Shikamaru (yes I actually _do_ keep track of that, don't you?)  
So I changed it, re-uploading this chapter. 

In case this made you wonder, here's my little overview:

Shikamaru calls Choji: Pumpkin, Sweetcheeks & Carebear  
Shikamaru calls Shino: Sexy & Precious  
Shino calls Shikamaru: Loverboy & Baby  
Shino calls Choji: Buttercup, Honey & Hun  
Choji calls Shikamaru: Hotstuff & Cutypie  
Choji calls Shino: Angelface, Honey & Hun

-xxx-

As for our other smutty couple; 

Kakashi calls Iruka: Babe & Love  
Iruka calls Kakashi: Sweetheart & Sweety

It's probably best if you try to remember this a little, since I start referring to them by their petnames more and more, as it also shows who's talking.

##########...##########

 **When I can still taste you**

##########...##########

 _Saturday, four-thirty AM, Shino's room,_

The Aburame licked his lips, he was really going to enjoy this…

##########...##########

Shikamaru leaned back on his elbows, settling in to watch the show. For now, he was content just to watch them, and seeing Choji watch _him_ added a whole other dimension to that. 

So he leaned back, giving his boyfriend the best view he possibly could, swallowing as the Akimichi's hungry eyes assaulted his slender frame. So far, _he'd_ been the one to watch, and now, he was being watched himself. It was… exciting. 

And also a little bit unsettling. Suddenly he understood Choji's earlier hesitation so much better.  
But the Nara found there was no time to ponder such things, as he saw Choji's eyes fluttering for a moment, the boy moaning, panting.  
Letting his gaze drop, Shikamaru understood _exactly_ what had gotten his boyfriend distracted. 

##########...##########

Choji watched as Shikamaru leaned back, giving him an unobstructed view of his now wilted member. He allowed his eyes to wander the body before him, he hadn't yet had the courage to do so. 

When Shino had been the one under both of their hands, that night when they all got so drunk… Choji was pretty sure he'd gotten a good look at Shino then. But not Shikamaru.  
And he'd forgotten most of that night, anyway. 

So far, the Akimichi had been too shy to study his lover's bodies, too insecure over his own to want to make them feel uneasy under his eyes. Or at least, he'd expected they would be uneasy, but Shikamaru obviously wasn't. 

As he watched him, Choji could see his lover's cock stiffening, could see the boy's heavy breathing, the smoldering look in his dark eyes.  
He studied his lover intently, reveling in this opportunity. 

But as he felt Shino take him in, all thoughts of Shikamaru dissipated from his mind, his eyes fluttered, his breath became ragged. He gripped Shino's hair tighter, his legs shaking. 

##########...##########

Shino had needed a little time to gather himself, Choji's little display had distracted him to the point where he couldn't even _think._ And the conversation his lovers had shared after that kept playing over and over in his head. 

As such, he had sat quietly for a little while, unknowingly giving his quivering lover the chance to check out the Nara. 

But now, the Aburame had regained his bearings, and the stiff cock before him demanded attention. Attention that Shino was _dying_ to give. 

Taking in Choji's throbbing length completely, he teased a little, his tongue flicking at his lover's shaft. Retreating, he licked around the head, eliciting moan after moan from the boy panting above.  
He used his hands to steady him, feeling Choji unsteadily swaying. This however, _did_ mean his hands were no longer available. But Shino figured it may even be more fun this way. 

Bending his head ever so slightly, Shino licked at his lover's family jewels, causing the other to whimper, obviously trying not to scream in delight. Deciding he wanted to hear that amazing sound again, Shino softly wrapped his lips around the little package, massaging Choji with both lips and tongue. 

Choji's grip on his head became almost painfully tight, which the Aburame took to be a good sign. But he knew he couldn't linger here for too long, lest it might become unbearable for his lover.  
So Shino relinquished his hold, turning his attention back to the full erection the Akimichi was sporting. 

Tenderly licking, he delighted in the moans and soft whimpers he drew out of his love. He alternated his loving licks with soft kisses, sometimes sucking the side of his lover's cock, but never holding on for long. He was going to milk this for as long as he could. 

##########...##########

Choji could feel Shino's hands on his hips, and silently, he thanked him. It became increasingly difficult to keep his balance as Shino's attentions continued. 

When Shino had played around with his balls, it had taken Choji all he had not to howl, it had simply felt too good. But just before the feeling became too much, Shino had moved away. 

Now, the Aburame was teasing him, and Choji would like nothing more than to urge his lover to hurry up, his patience quickly wavering. But he could only moan, words were beyond him now. 

##########...##########

Shikamaru had lasted about as long as he could, watching the pair, his _lovers_ together, had completely reignited his own lust. Trembling, he brought one hand around, stroking his own throbbing length. He moaned at his own touch, his sounds quickly mingling with Choji's. 

##########...##########

Shino could hear Shikamaru moan, realizing their Voyeur must've taken measures into his own hands – _literally._ It made him smile, the sounds of his two lovers egging him on. 

He decided he'd teased Choji long enough, the boy had been trying to pull him up for a while now, clearly wanting more. He allowed his boyfriend to tug at his hair, lifting his head, and relished in the sound that escaped the Akimichi when finally his lips closed around the boy's cock again. 

Licking for a little longer, he teased some more, unable to help himself.  
But Shino soon grew more serious in his ministrations, sucking and licking his way down until he'd taking in about all he could from his position on his knees. 

After all the teasing touches from before, it didn't take much to make Choji climax, and Shino happily swallowed. 

Looking up at the boy he had loved for most of his life, he licked his lips, "You're always at your most beautiful when I can still taste you."

##########...##########

Shikamaru moaned, his boyfriends tone hurling him into his own climax, dropping himself back on the bed, he shuddered, panting. 

For a few more moments, he lay still, replaying the scene he'd just witnessed over and over in his head. But a hand on his stomach startled him, forced him to open his eyes. 

"Beautiful," Shino breathed, looking down at the Nara. 

"Right back at ya, Precious" 

Shino smiled as Choji fell to the bed beside them, not able to talk just yet. 

The Aburame leaned over to place a soft kiss on the tip of Shikamaru's nose, "I thought you said you were too tired, Loverboy, but I somehow doubt it," He straddled his lover, nuzzling his face in the crook of Shikamaru's neck for a little while. 

"I _am_ tired, exhausted, you're just too sexy, Sexy" 

He wrapped his arms around his lover, pulling him tightly against his own body, placing a kiss on the top of Shino's head, "Way too sexy…" 

Choji shifted until he lay on his side, his head supported by the pillow, "Jerk him off, Hotstuff, he deserves it, and I want to see…" 

Shikamaru could feel Shino's body stiffen at the Akimichi's words, clearly he hadn't been expecting that. 

Smiling, Shikamaru rolled over, before letting go of his boyfriend, standing up. 

"Sounds pretty damn good to me, how about you, Sexy?" 

Shino's eyes were lidded, lust hidden away in dark eyes, "Yes…" He was panting already, anticipation getting to the young man. 

The three repositioned themselves slightly, placing the Aburame on his back in the middle of the bed, his boyfriends flanking him. Choji and Shino were sharing the pillow and the Akimichi lightly suckled on Shino's earlobe. Apparently, that was one of his weak spots, because he boy moaned loudly. 

"Shush, Precious," Shikamaru whispered, stroking his lover's cheek, "We can't wake anyone up…" He placed a gentle kiss on soft lips, his hand trailing down. Ghosting over pale flesh. 

To his disappointment, it took only a few touches for his lover to shudder, emptying himself on Shikamaru's hand. The Nara smirked, bringing his hand up to his face, he slowly licked himself clean. Tongue deftly flicking around, still smirking, he looked Shino deep in the eyes. 

"You're always the sexiest when I can still taste you."

##########...##########

 _ **A/N:**_ _And there you have it, the chapter that followed the cliffhanger that wasn't actually a cliffhanger… Seriously people, I thought you had a *little* more imagination, lol.  
_

_Nah, I actually had fun writing this, even if it wasn't originally planned :)  
Thank you for being so delightfully unpredictable! _


	14. Curiosity

AUTHORS NOTE: I'm a tease, I know I am. And I'm loving it. Just deal. :P 

Anyway, here's your next chappy, enjoy!

##########...##########

 **Curiosity**

##########...##########

 _Saturday, three-fifty AM, Iruka's apartment,_

Iruka was squirming under him, just feeling Kakashi's lips on his wasn't enough anymore. Now that he finally had the chance he wanted to _see_ him. But Kakashi still wouldn't have it.

Every time Iruka tried to break away, he would crash their lips together again. 

"Sweetheart," Iruka mumbled into the kiss, trying to convey everything he felt in just one word. 

Suddenly, he felt Kakashi covered his eyes with one pale, cold, hand. The copy ninja leaned back a little, as both men gasped for air. 

"Iruka," He said softly, "Please, be patient a little longer. I… I'm nervous…"

##########...##########

 _Saturday, nine AM, Shino's house,_

There was a knock on the door. It sounded excruciatingly loud in the silence that had been such a blessing to his pounding head. 

"Go _away_ ," Choji mumbled, hiding his face under the blanket. 

Another knock sounded and Shino whispered, "He will not." 

Slowly, ever so slowly, the young Aburame dragged himself out of bed. He recovered his pants from the floor, pulling them on as yet another knock sounded, making Choji groan.  
He glanced over at his boyfriends – both somewhat awake and properly covered up – before opening the door. 

"Good morning, father." 

He stepped aside slightly, allowing his father to look past him and at the bed. Shibi Aburame took his sons not-so-discrete hint and let his gaze fall upon the two boys still in bed. Choji had pulled his head from under the covers, blushing as he attempted to hide somewhat behind Shikamaru.  
Who, in turn, was laying on his side, completely relaxed. One hand supporting his head, while the other was softly stroking Choji's hand that was laying on his hip. The Nara smirked at him, amusement in his eyes. 

"Morning." 

"Good morning, boys. I had already spoken to Shikaku, nevertheless, I did not expect to find you all here. I did not see you last night." 

"I'm sorry, father. It was rude of me not to introduce you and mother to my boyfriends before spending the night with them here. However, there were some unusual circumstances leading up to this situation. With your permission I will explain them to you over breakfast." 

The elder Aburame nodded, "Kakashi Hatake, I know about it. I expect you all to be dressed in fifteen minutes. It has already gotten late."

After the man had left, Choji let himself drop back on the bed.  
Shikamaru, completely unfazed, smirked at Shino. 

"Well, _that_ was… Slightly uncomfortable…" 

He slipped out of bed to go looking for his own clothes. The two got dressed quickly, but Choji remained under the sheets, making absolutely no effort to get up. Until Shino pulled the sheets off his boyfriend. 

"Father will get angry with us if we are late. Please hurry, Choji" 

"My head feels like it's about to explode, Shino… This is worse than the hangover…" The other complained, while attempting to pull the sheets back up. 

Shikamaru'd finished picking up Choji's clothes, dropping them on the bed, "It's no use, Precious. He always gets like this after crying." 

"Regardless… My father will be very displeased… " He thought for a moment, before adding, "Choji, I will go and ask my mother to get you something for your headache, but you have to be dressed when I return, all right?"

As the Akimichi nodded, Shino left the room. He knew he would have to face his father's disapproval now, it would be unpleasant but it was necessary. He loved Choji after all.

##########...##########

 _Saturday, ten AM, Konoha streets,_

"Nice, no? Us being able to go grocery shopping together like this?" The copy ninja looked over at his yawning boyfriend, trying to keep his tone light.

"Yeah… But we've done this before, too." 

Iruka realized what his lover was trying to accomplish, a nice, light conversation with absolutely _no_ mention of last night's fiasco's. And he would play along – for now. 

"It's nice, though, you're right," He smiled, "And you know what else is nice?" 

"Tell me," There was a hint of a smile in Kakashi's voice as he calmly walked beside his Iruka. 

"Just being with you, being able to touch you like this," Iruka let his hand glide over Kakashi's ass, "Being able to talk to you like this, being able to smell your scent," He pressed his nose against his lover's shoulder, "Like this. Being able to love you the way I do, Kakashi. That's the best thing on earth for me." 

The jounin felt a light blush creep up at Iruka's words, his voice sounded thick and soft as he replied, "I love you too, Iruka."

##########...##########

 _Saturday, ten AM, Konoha streets,_

"Ino! You really shouldn't _do_ that!" 

Even though Tenten was _technically_ whispering, her voice sounded extremely loud in the quiet of the morning. 

"Oh, _shush_ , what's the harm? I'm just going to have a little look around inside…" The blonde put her hands back up, carefully taking aim…

##########...##########

 _Saturday, ten AM, Konoha streets,_

"You know, Iruka…" Kakashi looked over at the man beside him with a smile on his face. A smile that instantly turned into a scowl, his soft tone suddenly harsh, "Get out, Ino!" 

"Kakashi-sen – I mean, Kakashi, what's wrong?" Iruka's face tried to look as innocent as it possibly could. 

"You know _damn_ well what's wrong, brat," The jounin growled, "Get _out_ of my boyfriend. Right. _Now!_ " 

He waited a moment, then caught the falling Iruka in his arms. 

"You all right?" His voice soft again, then, louder, "Get your butt over here Ino! And that goes for you too, Tenten!" 

"Kakashi? What's –" 

"Shh, Iruka, just wait, okay?" 

The silver-haired shinobi scoured the area, finally catching the two teenagers in a death glare. 

"Come here, you two." 

His voice may have sounded soft, but it was trembling with suppressed anger. They came closer, hesitantly waiting every few steps, hoping they'd be close enough for Kakashi's liking yet. But he still waited.  
Eventually they were about two steps away, visibly shaking. 

"All right, now who's _brilliant_ idea was it to use a mind transfer on Iruka?!" 

Tenten looked down at her own feet, while Ino willed herself to look up at the academy sensei. 

"I'm sorry, Iruka-sensei… I just…" 

Iruka placed his hands on his hips, leaning over a bit at the two young ladies. There was a smile on his face, but it wasn't his usual, radiantly happy one. This was the smile he used on his students when he'd caught them red-handed. And there was no denying this had just happened to Ino. 

"You just wanted to see what Kakashi-sensei's face looks like, didn't you? And you thought I was the perfect way in, am I right?" 

The blonde nodded, her gaze dropping to somewhere around the chuunin's shoes, "Yes, sensei…" 

"Well, too bad for you. Because I don't know." 

"But- but, he's your boyfriend!" Tenten suddenly interrupted, staring up at the two men. 

Kakashi chuckled, "So?" 

"So he should- I mean, isn't it like _, normal_ to- He's your _boyfriend_!" 

The jounin sighted, crossing his arms before his chest. 

"You girls are all _so_ predictable, you know that? Yes, Iruka is my boyfriend. Yes, I love him . But that _doesn't_ mean even _he_ knows what's behind the mask.  
Little girl, have you _ever_ heard about a little something called 'the cover of darkness'? No? Then let me explain: One closes the curtains and turns off all lights, and voila: Instant night!" 

He chuckled as both girls looked up at him in shock, but Iruka soon caught their attention again. 

"Oh, don't worry… I'll make _sure_ the two of you get _thoroughly_ acquainted with the concept of total darkness." 

He sounded way too jovial saying that, it _had_ to mean something bad. And it did. As the sensei continued, his voice held a hard tone. 

"When you take the nightshift to patrol the cemetery together. I'll make _sure_ to make your wishes known to lady Hokage. Now… _Dismissed._ " 

##########...##########

 _Saturday, ten-thirty AM, Konoha streets,_

"Dude, you're dad's _scary_ ," Shikamaru gently nudged his boyfriend. 

"I know, however, our relationship is now known to both my parents so they should ease up in a few weeks." 

"I really takes _that_ long?!" The Nara couldn't keep the surprise out of his voice, "Mine took like… A day, maybe?" 

Shino nodded, "Our parents are quite different. Choji, what should we expect from your family?" 

The Akimichi took a while to respond, first having to swallow the potato chips he'd been eating, "My parents are pretty cool, I guess. At least they won't make a scene or anything, although mom might try to smother you – with love, really… They may be a little less open-minded than Shikakau, but…" 

"It stands to reason that if my dad talked to Shibi, he's talked to Choza as well. So I guess we're cool as far as the Akimichi's go… But man, this whole coming out thing is _so_ troublesome…" 

Shino nodded, "I agree. Even if had already told my parents I am gay, I still found this quite difficult. It would seem that people find our relationship hard to understand. They did not make such a fuss before…" 

They were walking calmly through town, not really going anywhere. None had felt like going to train, as the lack of sleep was definitely getting to them. Aside from that, it was also nice just to be talking together, something they hadn't yet done a lot of. 

"Shino," Choji's voice was quiet, a hint of nervousness laced in, "When _did_ you come out to your parents?" 

The Aburame stretched out a hand, picking a potato chip from Choji's bag. Eating it before replying. 

"That was several years ago. I felt anxious to tell them, however they reacted better than I had imagined. Why? They had most likely known for a long time, as had I." 

"Was that back when you were with Neji?" 

"No Shikamaru, I did not have a boyfriend at the time. I simply felt like I needed to tell them sooner rather than later. I believed it would not be fair to my clan if I did not, seeing that I _am_ the heir to the Aburame clan." 

The Nara yawned, stretching, "Then when _did_ you hook up with Neji? If you don't mind telling us…" 

Shino smiled his little half smile that Shikamaru loved so much, "I do _not_ mind, because I love you. And I believe you have a right to know if that is what you want. Even so, I would prefer not to have this conversation here, as there are undoubtedly people listening."

It seemed fair enough to the others two, so they decided to head to the forest, find a nice clearing, and talk there.

##########...##########

 _Saturday, eleven AM, Somewhere in the forest,_

"So… Neji?" They were laying in the tall grass, somewhere deep within the forest surrounding Konoha. Shikamaru – as always – in the middle, with Choji on his right and Shino on his left. The Nara really didn't meant to pry, but this thing between his lover and the stuck-up Hyuuga puzzled him. And if he was completely honest with himself, it bothered him too.

"Yes. I promised I would tell you…" Shino shifted a little uncomfortably, "I believe it was about six months ago that we first slept together"

"So that wasn't even a relationship," Choji pointed out, obviously relieved. 

"But it was, Choji. I am sorry if it disturbs you, but I _did_ have a relationship with Neji Hyuga. All though it did end quite soon and sudden. We were only together for a little less than two months… I am, as you know, a private person. And I have never been very open about my preferences. I am still confused as to how Neji knew, but he approached me one day, asking me to go on a date with him." 

Shino fell quiet. After a few minutes, Shikamaru nudged him, "Why did you accept? Were you… In love with him?" 

"I was not. However, I soon found out that he was indeed in love with me. If was difficult for me, as my heart already belonged to the both of you. Still, I believed there was no chance such love would ever come to pass, so I decided to settle." 

"With _Neji_?!" Choji's voice was dripping with disbelief, "What could he _possibly_ have to offer?" 

"A warm bed, good sex. I _did_ say I settled." 

Choji scoffed, mumbling, "Good sex, my ass…" 

There was a smile in Shino's voice as he reproached the Akimichi, " _You_ wanted to know…" 

Shikamaru smirked, "He's really that good? I wonder how you fit in next to that giant stick up his ass." 

"I would pull that out first." 

Shino's voice sounded so serious, so sincere that his boyfriends shot up, staring at him in disbelief. 

"You _what_?!" Shikamaru asked, exasperated. 

The Aburame, still relaxing in the grass, smirked up at them, "You _do_ realize I am capable of making a joke, right? On the other hand, Neji _did_ like to use toys, so in a way –" 

"Woah, Shino, stop! Too much info!" Choji all but yelled, "Sorry, but I really _don't_ want to know…" 

His boyfriend laughed quietly, "Very well, I will suffice to tell you how it ended, then. I believe _that_ might interest you…" 

"Oh…?" 

"Yes, Loverboy, because it ended when I called out _your_ name during sex. And Neji did not appreciate that…" 

"I can imagine," The Nara smirked, laying back down between his two lovers, "You're right, I _do_ kinda like that… But Neji is still a troublesome one…" 

"He has hated you ever since. I believe he now feels unkind towards Choji as well, although _hating_ Choji is a bit more difficult. Even for someone like Neji." 

"Aww… I want to be hated, too!" 

The Akimichi playfully slapped Shikamaru on the shoulder, pleased the tension seemed to have been broken. But Shikamaru remained serious. 

"It's not funny, Pumpkin, the guy looks at me like he'd _really_ like to kill me or something… Troublesome…" 

"Shikamaru is correct, Neji has a mean look on his face when in his presence. Why? Because he believes he loves me and needs only time for me to make me love him. Which is why he blames Shikamaru for our break-up, even though… " A sly smile appeared on the Aburame's face, "No. He is actually half-correct on that one" 

"Idiot's troublesome," Shikamaru mumbled, before leaning over to kiss Shino, pulling himself atop his boyfriend as the kiss deepened. "But," He said as he sat back up, straddling the other, "I'll just have to deal. Because we're never letting you go." 

Shino's hands glided over the legs on either side of him, "I will not let go of you, either. Neji is in the past, a mistake I'd rather forget." 

Choji scooted over, placing a loving kiss on Shino's lips, "Then don't ever mention his name again." 

"Sweetcheeks, that's impossible," Shikamaru said softly as he stroked the Akimichi's back, "I guess we can accept his name when it's work-related. But not in our private time" 

Shino looked up at his boyfriends, he felt so lucky to have them, so happy to be in their lives. 

"I will hold myself to that. After I say one more thing…" 

He swallowed, trying not to see the frown that formed on Choji's forehead. Shikamaru leaned over a little, curious despite himself. 

"What is it, Precious?" 

He saw Shino swallow again, licking suddenly dry lips as he seemed to remember something that excited him. 

"He tied me up, once. It was amazing… And I believe it would be even more incredible with you."

##########...##########

"Bondage, huh?" Shikamaru smirked, "I think I like the sound of that… I _do_ distinctly remember you writhing under the both of us, back in my room. You tried so hard not to move, it was so fucking _sexy_ …" 

Shino blushed a little, remembering what had gone on that night, how it'd seemed his lovers had been able to read his mind. 

"That time I tried not to move because I was afraid you would stop. I was afraid you would realize what was going on and be appalled by it. By _me_. I know better now," Shino smiled a naughty smile, "Is that why you call me 'Sexy'?" 

"I've always thought you were sexy. But… Yeah, I guess…" 

Unexpectedly, Choji grabbed hold of the zipper on Shino's shirt, pulling it down. As he let his hands wander over the exposed skin, they other shuddered under his ministrations. Still, Shino's voice sounded hesitant when he softly called his plump lover's name. 

"There's no-one else around, Angelface, with Shikamaru´s shadows, we could…" 

His voice trailed off as Choji's gaze darted from Shino's lips, to his eyes and back again. He didn't realize he was licking his own lips, didn't realize his hands had stopped moving. He was completely taken in by the sight of Shino. 

Choji almost jumped when a hand snaked around from behind, grabbing his crotch, "You're right, my shadows _could_ work, but… It'd be too hard to focus on them _and_ Sexy here at the same time…" 

Shikamaru gently squeezed, eliciting a moan from his boyfriend, "Now I honestly don't mind sitting back to enjoy the show…" 

The two of them together was such a sight that Shino had to bite back a moan. From his position on the ground, he had a clear view of Shikamaru's hand and Choji's reaction to it. He tried to clear his throat, only to find his voice still hoarse. 

"Our dirty little voyeur…" 

"Does that turn you on, Sexy? I can feel it" 

Shikamaru teased, using his free hand to rub Shino's growing erection. The Kekkaichu-handler moaned at the contact, bucking his hips. 

"Yes," He gasped, "Yes, it does."

##########...##########

 _ **A/N:**_ _Now, this actually_ _ **was**_ _indented as a cliffhanger, lol.  
Just thought I'd let you pervy peeps know ;) I'm still finishing and Beta'ing the next chapter, so I'm not completely sure when I'll upload again but I thought I'd give you this, get you nice and worked up about it ^.^  
_

_Oh, and, just in case the last cliffhanger got you too distracted… There's two here, remember ;) Kakashi and Iruka, too :P_


	15. Outside of the comfortzone

AUTHORS NOTE: Hey, tell me what you think about my take on Kakashi's reasons… I'd _really_ like to know! 

And I know I promised you finished smut, so this is me delivering. Originally this chappy had what I call an open ending, and what _you_ call a cliffhanger xD  
I'm curious to see if you can determine where I originally stopped writing ;) 

Oh, and I changed a little petname mistake on 'When I can still taste you' adding a little explanation about those petnames. I figured you may not have seen it as I just noticed and fixed that earlier today, so I'll repost that little tidbit here as well: 

-xxx-

So… _yes,_ I actually keep track of this,

Shikamaru calls Choji: Pumpkin, Sweetcheeks & Carebear  
Shikamaru calls Shino: Sexy & Precious  
Shino calls Shikamaru: Loverboy & Baby  
Shino calls Choji: Buttercup, Honey & Hun  
Choji calls Shikamaru: Hotstuff & Cutypie  
Choji calls Shino: Angelface, Honey & Hun

-xxx-

As for our other smutty couple; 

Kakashi calls Iruka: Babe & Love  
Iruka calls Kakashi: Sweetheart & Sweety

It's probably best if you try to remember this a little, since I start referring to them by their petnames more and more, as it also shows who's talking.

##########...##########

 **Outside of the comfort zone**

##########...##########

 _Saturday, one-thirty PM, Teacher's lounge,_

"Iruka…" 

The silver-haired jounin unexpectedly appeared in the doorway, not only Iruka, but most of his colleagues also looked up, baffled at the sight of the living legend standing right there, in their teacher's lounge.  
They'd all come together to discuss some changes in the curriculum before school started again on Monday, and they weren't even nearly done yet. But all that was forgotten the moment Kakashi of the Sharingan eye appeared. 

"Take a walk with me, I want to talk." 

There were some disappointed sounds coming from around the room. Several of his colleagues seemed to want to keep the infamous copy ninja here a while longer, whereas others, more in tune with the situation, pitied Iruka for probably being about to get dumped. 

He ignored them all. He knew better. 

"Sure, one sec." 

After quickly signing his name to the form on his desk, Iruka got up and walked over to his boyfriend. He couldn't help but place a chaste kiss on his cheek while grabbing the jounin's hand, pulling him out of the room.

Once they'd left the building, Kakashi pulled the other man under the trees. A little ways away from the path he found a massive oak tree, and decided to plant his boyfriend against it.

"Kakashi-" 

"Don't speak, Iruka. I… I'm sorry about last night. I truly am. I promised you something and I didn't deliver-" 

" _Couldn't_ deliver, that's different." 

"No. I-" Kakashi cursed under his breath, then muttered, "Oh what the hell!" 

And, in one fell swoop, pulled the mask down. Crashing his bare lips against Iruka's in broad daylight. He kissed the brunette roughly before retreating, taking a few steps back. 

"There. No mask." 

"I… see…" 

There was a sense of wonder in the chuunin's voice, and also amusement. Kakashi was standing stiffly, arms crossed in front of his chest, a light frown on his brow. 

"Sweetie, I think-" 

"Don't," Kakashi cut in, "Don't talk about it. It's all the talk that makes me so anxious." He sighted, "It was never supposed to be like this…" 

"Like what?" Iruka asked carefully, mindful of how upset his lover looked right now. 

"Like _this_!" He threw his hands up in frustration. 

"Kakashi… I don't understand why you're so upset…" 

"It's..." Kakashi sighted before pulling the mask back up. Iruka tried to hide his disappointment, understanding it would only make things worse right now. 

"Long ago, I made a bet with someone. If I could keep my face covered… He would kiss me. But _only_ if no-one saw my face. I was to get one kiss for every day I kept the mask on…" 

Iruka smiled at him, "That's a _lot_ of kisses…" 

"Yeah…" Kakashi's breath hitched, "But Obito's dead now." 

Iruka had no idea what to say, didn't even know how he _felt_ at this point. Kakashi never talked about his first two teammates, and now the man stood there, telling him – _what_ exactly? 

The jounin seemed to appear out of thin air, tightly pressing his lovers back against the tree. 

"I was supposed to wait for him to tell me to take it off," He whispered, his covered mouth almost touching Iruka's ear. 

"And after he died… It felt wrong to discard the mask without Obito's permission. So I kept it on, as something to remember him by. But as the years dragged on… Everyone wanted to see, everyone wanted to know what I was hiding under here. 

But, Iruka… What I'm hiding… No-one can see it anyway, and they wouldn't understand. I'm not even sure that you can. Or even if I know _myself_ … 

And, eventually, it became so much of an issue that I… I don't know how to deal with the pressure of everyone's expectations. I know there's really nothing to see, and I'm afraid it'll disappoint people to know there's no horrible disfigurement, no weird teeth or lips- nothing out of the ordinary whatsoever. 

It's why I got so scared last night…  
I really _wanted_ to show you, I've wanted to for a long time, but… The pressure got to me, Iruka. And I'm sorry." 

Iruka softly stroked his lovers hair, trying to ignore the tree branch poking in his back. Ignore the fact that Kakashi was pressed up against his chest to hard that he could hardly breathe. He didn't know what to say, but seeing he didn't have the breath to speak anyway, it didn't matter. 

They just stood there, pressed up against each other, for he didn't know how long. And eventually, Iruka couldn't take it anymore.  
He carefully lifted his lover's head of his shoulder.  
Gently pulled the mask down.  
Softly kissed the newly-revealed lips. 

##########...##########

 _Friday, eleven-thirty AM, Somewhere in the forest,_

Shino shuddered as he felt the shadows slowly pulling his legs apart. He felt extremely vulnerable right now, having absolutely no control over his own body. But he delighted in it all the same.  
Knowing it was Shikamaru moving his body, Choji making him twitch- there was no greater feeling in the world.

When he'd done this with Neji, it had been about restriction. Not being able to move had meant relying solely on his mate for release. But looking back, he realized it had also been about control: Neji's control over him. Tying him down so he couldn't leave.  
This was… _So_ much more.

As he felt his legs lift themselves up, he quivered. Knowing what was going to happen, but having absolutely no means of changing his fate was thrilling, and a little scary as well. He knew for a fact that Shikamaru would let him go the moment he asked, knew that neither of them wanted to hurt him in anyway. He felt safe with them.  
He just didn't feel so safe doing this outside.

They'd spoken about it, his nerves of undressing anywhere but in the safety of the bedroom. It really was something he'd never even considered before. But with these two…  
With these two he felt like he could actually risk it. Not that Shino didn't feel apprehensive, didn't dread getting caught by someone, but rather… He felt like he might be able to handle it if such a thing happened. He might be able to live it down, so long as his boyfriends were by his side.  
And now… It was actually happening.

Shikamaru nearly purred as his shadows lifted Shino's legs, opening his lover up to all the world. He could feel himself panting as he reached down into his pocket, retrieving a small object that he handed to Choji. 

He could feel Shino try to move against his shadows, trying to see what he'd handed the other, so he relaxed his hold for a moment, allowing Shino to see the bottle of lube in Choji's hand. 

"Kakashi kind of… Slipped me that…" He spoke softly, trying to explain as he caught confused looks from both his lovers.  
"Apparently the scent of my _unscented_ lotion still offends him…" 

Noting that the others understood the slightly – no wait, _very_ awkward circumstances, he increased his hold on Shino again, sitting back against the tree to enjoy the show.

##########...##########

Shino was panting. The shadows had taken control over his entire body, while Choji's fingers were starting to slowly work up a pace inside him. He simply felt too much. There was too much going on for his mind to keep track of it all. 

The shadows whispering over his entire body, teasing him with their ghostly touches. Choji's fingers, who were not only inside him, but on his member as well. His balls were being gently toyed with, and he didn't even know who or what was doing that – there was simply too much going on to keep track of. He could feel the tension rising, his body craving release. 

Shino knew he wasn't going to last much longer, but couldn't find it in him to string the words together.

He felt his orgasm wash over him, could see the stars dance before his eyes.  
A small part of him felt a pang of regret, not sure if this signaled the end of the session.  
He didn't want it to be over yet, not as he finally started to feel comfortable with the situation, the location of their lovemaking.

##########...##########

As Shino opened his eyes, the sun was shining bright, right above him. His sunglasses didn't help him much at this point, so he turned his head. But didn't. _Couldn't.  
_ Shikamaru's shadows were still holding him tight, showing no sign of relinquishing this control. 

"You know Sexy… I don't think there's anything hotter than watching you cum… You seriously almost broke my concentration there, but it's all good. I still have you, and we're still not done," The Nara's smirk was almost audible. 

Shino blinked against the ferocious sun, almost afraid to open his mouth, but he knew he had to, "That felt _too_ good… But has everyone else failed to realize the sun's position?"

"The sun…?" Choji sounded confused, but then the realization dawned, "Oh god, I'm _so_ sorry Shino, you're eyes are too sensitive for that, right?" 

The Akimichi quickly held his hand over his boyfriend's eyes, shielding them from the sun's radiant beams.  
Shikamaru detached one of his shadows from the boy's naked form, widening it like a parasol. _  
_

_Wish I could have made another for that, but I'm definitely at my limit right now… Damn, I should've noticed sooner- I never wanted to hurt Shino like this.  
_

"Thank you, that's a lot better," The Aburame's voice was soft, but they could all hear the desire dripping from it, he wanted more, and his boyfriends were more than happy to give it to him.

##########...##########

Once Choji felt confident that his lover's eyes were properly protected, he turned his attention back to his previous activities- ensuring Shino was ready for him to enter.

He looked over his shoulder, nodding at Shikamaru. They'd come to the silent agreement that they would coordinate their movements together like this. Shikamaru gave him a small wink in return, repositioning himself so he would have a better view of the show to come. 

When his boyfriend got up to move to another spot, Choji sat himself down between his lover's legs, he could feel his entire body quiver in anticipation, but wanted to wait until Shikamaru had settled himself once more. So he turned his attention to Shino's upper body, covering it in hot kisses. 

The Aburame shuddered under his touch, still recovering from his recent climax.  
Choji was sure to be gentle, not wanting to make the sensations unbearable. When he saw Shikamaru had settled himself again, comfortably leaning against another tree, he smiled, getting a small nod in return. 

"Angelface," He breathed, "Are you ready for me?" 

He got only a moan in return, and a violent bucking of hips. Choji decided to take that as a 'yes'.  
Shifting his body slightly, he lifted his boyfriend's hips, aided by Shikamaru's shadows. 

"Sexy, let me know if I go too far, okay?" 

Shino nodded, realizing what the other had meant. And within moments, he could feel his legs lifting themselves up once again, draping themselves over Choji's shoulders. 

"This still good…?" There was a little insecurity in Shikamaru's voice, after all, Shino was the only one who'd ever done anything like this before, and it was also _his_ body being pushed into a position that could potentially stretch him too far. 

"Perfect," He squeezed out, between panting breaths, "Deeper is… _Ah,_ better…" 

Choji had a naughty smile on his face, his hand suddenly wrapped around Shino's half-hard length.  
He toyed around a little, moving his hand up and down, before moving both hands to his own member, slowly guiding it inside his lover. 

For a few moments, the only sounds were the pants and moans coming from the three boys.  
But then… 

"Please move, hun." 

It was all the encouragement Choji needed, he slowly moved back, almost completely slipping out of his lover, before pushing back in. He'd been a little less gentle than he'd intended, immediately searching his boyfriend's face for any signs of discomfort. 

Shino understood, he knew Choji always tried his best not to hurt anyone, but this… Felt good, better even than it had before, "Please, Honey, don't hold back now." 

Choji nodded, licking is dry lips. He shot Shikamaru a look, feeling but a little insecure. The Nara gave him a comforting smile, also realizing the reason of Choji's mild discomfort, "It's okay, Pumpkin, give him what he needs right now." 

Nodding once more, Choji pulled back again, and, relinquishing his self-control a little, he pushed back in with force, making his lover moan in delight. 

" _Ah… Yessss…."  
_

Encouraged, Choji kept up his pace, drawing moan after moan out of the body writhing under him.  
He could hear Shikamaru's moans join in, knowing the Nara was trying to focus on his shadows even though he probably wanted nothing more than to touch himself right now. 

It made the boy smile. Right now, in this exact moment, he had the power over both his boyfriends. It was a strange feeling, new, but also extremely exciting. Not that he could dwell on that for long, his own moans and pants drowned out all other thoughts as he pounded inside his lover. 

Choji could feel himself start to shake, his pace quickly becoming erratic. It wouldn't be long now before his own climax would make it impossible to pleasure his lover any further. 

Shikamaru noticed it too, calmly wrapping one of his shadowy fingers around Shino's member, pumping it in rhythm with Choji's thrusts.  
Shino gasped, this was unexpected, he bucked his hips into the touch, wanting to feel more. 

So his lover increased his hold a little, tightening the shadow as he kept pumping. 

Choji collapsed first, falling atop his lover, quivering. Shino wanted to wrap his arms around him, but found he still couldn't. However, Shikamaru had noticed the pull on his shadows, moving Shino's arms himself, while still pumping the Aburame's member, swallowing hard as Shino climaxed the moment his arms enclosed the plump boy. 

Shikamaru sighed, unable to keep his hold on them any longer. He bit his lip, moaning loudly as he sat back against the tree, his hand slowly making his way to his own throbbing erection. 

_There is one problem with using my shadows… I can't do anything else and – Ah! That's just too hard…  
_

He moaned again, touching himself as he looked at his two lovers, studied the afterglow on their faces. Shino turned his head, looking at him, "Don't, Loverboy. Allow me." 

Another moan escaped the Nara at his lover's tone, pulling his hand away was difficult as right now the need was just so great. But he managed, licking dry lips as he saw both his lovers coming over to him. 

Choji straddled the Nara, kissing his lips while his hands worked on opening the boy's pants. With a little help from Shikamaru, Shino pulled them off, licking his lips as Shikamaru gasped. 

Pulling the pants _down_ , had meant moving his hips _up,_ and that, in turn, had meant that his erection brushed against the Akimichi's inner thigh. Shikamaru moaned, he wasn't sure how much longer he could refrain from touching himself anymore. 

But Choji moved back a little, bending over so he could keep kissing his lover's narrow lips. Shino snaked a hand in between their bodies, grabbing hold of Shikamaru's cock. 

He'd coated his hand with lube, and Shikamaru gasped when he felt how cold it was, "Oh _god_ , Sexy…" 

He was panting by now, Shino's hand skillfully moving up and down, twisting, increasing and decreasing the pressure at a steady pace. Shikamaru could no longer focus on Choji's lips on his, simply panting, moaning – with the occasional swear in between. 

"Ah… _Fuck…_ Oh god… _Sexy!"_

Shino smiled as he felt his lover's release, knowing it had been his touches that made him cum, Choji's and his demonstration that had aroused the boy so much that he couldn't even hold out for a few minutes. He bowed down, taking Shikamaru's wilting member in his mouth, softly cleaning the Nara with his tongue. 

Choji sat back a little, this was quite the sight, but the Akimichi was too tired to go another round. He smiled as he saw Shikamaru roughly pushing Shino's head away. 

"Too much, too much, no more Sexy, please…" He whimpered.

The Aburame chuckled, moving back a little, "You're clean now, though," He couldn't keep the smile out of his tone. 

Shikamaru smiled back at him, "Yeah… But _oh my_ _ **god**_ _,_ Precious… Never do that again…" He sighed, "I'm exhausted… I think I was too tired before we even – " The Nara yawned. 

"Let's just take a nap," Choji suggested, "We have plenty time before anyone notices we're gone, anyway…" 

Shino nodded, quickly putting his pants and shirt back on before laying down next to Shikamaru, the Nara had already fallen asleep. Together with Choji, he pulled up Shikamaru's pants again, not wanting to let his lover sleep out here exposed like that. Choji, too, had put his clothes back on, laying on the other side of Shikamaru, "Sleep tight, Angelface…" 

"Sleep tight, Buttercup."

##########...##########

 _ **A/N:**_ _I just went 'Awwww…." At my own chappy ending… kinda lame, no? But it's just sweet… I love the little interactions between Choji and Shino. I should probably write more of them instead of going 'Aww' in my head and then forgetting to type it in… :P_

 _Oh and, Vicky, I finished the cliffhangers, right?! :D_


	16. Missing

AUTHORS NOTE: Okay… So here's a _little_ hurt, I know I said I'd keep that down, but… I kind of needed it to set up a next storyline/arc – please don't be mad! 

I know I get sucked into the hurt thing too easily, to be honest I've already written and then discarded several Three Clans chapters because of that… But this time… I have a plan, okay? Bear with me…

And thank you Vicky, for your council on this, I hope you won't feel like it came back to bite you in the ass, though…

##########...##########

 **Missing**

##########...##########

 _Sunday, twelve-fifteen AM, Somewhere in the forest,_

It had gotten late, when Choji opened his eyes, all he could see were the stars in the night sky.  
Rolling over to face his lovers, the young Akimichi smiled. He'd always loved seeing Shikamaru sleep, but Shino had proved even cuter. Still…. 

Gently nudging both his lovers, he spoke, "Wake up, sleepyheads, it's dark already." 

"So what, you sleep when it's dark, lemme sleep…" Shikamaru mumbled. 

But Shino woke up, sitting up straight as he patted around for his hoodie- he'd already put on the rest of his clothes before laying back with his two lovers. 

"Shikamaru, we're sleeping in the middle of the forest, whether it's dark out or not, this is not the place to sleep." 

"Shuddup, lemme sleep… I'm tired…" 

Choji and Shino looked at each other, this could prove to be difficult.  
Each grabbing hold of a slender arm, they hoisted the young Nara into a standing position, dropping his arms over their shoulders. 

"My home is closest, Shino." 

The other nodded, and they started walking. After a little while, Shino carefully looked over at Choji. 

"How will your parents react to… _this_?" 

"They've seen Shikamaru like this before… Mostly after training, though… And usually it's Asuma-sensei dragging him along…" 

He worried the inside of his lip for a while, he too, unsure how his parents would react to the situation they were about to present them with. 

"Then let go of me, so I can explain it to them," The Nara smirked, "No offense, but you guys always seem to be at a loss for words at this sort of thing." 

He straightened himself, using the arms that were still draped over his boyfriends shoulders to pull them in closer. Kissing first Shino's cheek, then Choji's. 

"I love you guys. Now, as for Choji's parents… I'm hungry." 

"Excuse me?" Shino raised his eyebrows, "What does _that_ have to do with any of this?" 

"Watch me, Sexy. Just compliment her cooking and she's gonna love you. And Choza as well, probably…" 

" _Probably_?" 

The Nara smirked again, while the Akimichi gave a loving smile, "My dad usually likes pretty much anyone, Angelface, don't let him scare you. Just… Make sure you say hello to him, he really doesn't like it when people don't take the time to greet others." 

"I will remember that." 

"Good, 'cause we're almost there, Sexy."

##########...##########

 _Saturday, twelve-forty-five PM, Akimichi residence,_

"Mom! Dad! We're home!" Choji called as soon as he opened the door. 

Together with Shikamaru, he pulled Shino with him into the living room, where they were greeted by _way_ too many faces. 

"We were about to launch a full scale _search_ , you idiots, where the _hell_ were you all this time?!" Iruka scolded the teens the moment they walked in. 

Apart from the academy teacher, the room also contained Choza, Shikaku, Shibi, Kakashi, Inoichi, Kurenai and Asuma. None of them looked very pleased with the situation. 

"We… eh, fell asleep…" Choji said weakly. 

"Where?" Kakashi's gaze was probably the softest one in the room, but he too, sounded upset. 

Shikamaru smirked, he couldn't stop it, "In the forest somewhere. We didn't get much sleep lately, so…" 

The silver-haired man crossed his arms in front of his chest, standing wide legged before the three chuunin, "All right, so now you're telling me that we almost sent a search party after you because you couldn't keep it in your pants last night?" 

"And the night before, and the one before that we only slept a little, the night before that one-" 

"Shikamaru!" Shikakau suddenly cut in, "That's enough, son." 

Shino stepped forward, bypassing the copy ninja as he moved to stand before his own father. 

"I apologize, father. We should have showed better judgment." 

Shibi sighted, looking down at his son, "Yes, you should have. However, that is in the past now. I am just happy to see that you are safe." 

"Me too," Kurenai agreed, before excusing herself, taking Asuma with her as she left. 

Iruka looked over at his boyfriend, the question if _they_ were leaving too clear in his eyes. But Kakashi didn't look at him. The jounin was still staring the other two boys down.  
Choji had dropped his gaze a while ago, a hot blush on his face. But Shikamaru looked the older man directly in the eye, not backing down. 

The tension between the two was quickly building as the temperature in the room seemed to drop.  
Still, they stared at each other. 

Shikaku looked at his old teammates, a little unsure what to do with the situation. Inoichi simply smiled, before leaving as well. Thanking his lucky stars that _his_ offspring wasn't up to any of these kinds of shenanigans.  
Choza only shrugged, secretly happy that someone else was taking care of it. 

Shibi, all but forgotten, placed his hand on his son's shoulder. Squeezing the boy perhaps a little too tight. The tension was getting to the Aburame men, too. 

But the tension probably affected Iruka Umino the most. The chuunin stood, a little off to the side, contemplating whether or not he could get away with just grabbing his boyfriend and pulling him out of here. His face was red-hot, and he could feel his hands trembling. 

Out of the blue, the two men broke off their staring contest, only to double over laughing. 

"You've _got_ to be kidding me…" Shikaku muttered under his breath, looking at the laughing pair. 

Choji looked up, bewildered, before joining in with Shino close behind.  
The four laughed, tears streaming down their faces.

" _You_ three!" Kakashi exclaimed when he finally started to catch his breath again, "I'm _never_ going to have a quiet night at home again, am I?" Still chuckling, he glanced over at Iruka, his boyfriend was bright-red.

"You're never home, anyway," Shikamaru smirked, "So you shouldn't complain…" 

Iruka all but turned away, too embarrassed to formulate a response. 

"True, _but_ ," The jounin held up one finger, "If I get dragged out of Iruka's bed _again_ because you three are missing… I _might_ just take my frustrations out on someone," He winked, turning to the academy sensei, "You about ready to go, Love?" 

Iruka pulled a face, muttering, " _I_ was ready to go fifteen minutes ago, _you're_ the one who finds all this so _incredibly_ funny…" He walked over to Kakashi, grabbing his arm while bidding everyone a good night. As Kakashi was pulled away, he winked at the tree, still chuckling. 

Shikaku sighed, "I take it you're planning to stay here, then?" 

As his son nodded, he turned to his old teammate, "That alright with you, Choza? As far as I'm concerned you're _more_ than welcome to scold them for the rest of the night." 

The Akimichi smiled, "In the morning, Shikaku, your boy looks about ready to topple over…" 

He was right, Shikamaru's temporary burst of energy had run out, and now the boy was leaning against Choji, yawning. 

Shibi gave the elder Akimichi an acknowledging nod, "You have my permission as well, please make sure they understand the situation they have put us all in," Together with Shikaku he turned to the door, walking away without so much as a second glance. 

As Choza was left alone with the three young lovers, he sighed, "Well boys, at least two of you know where Choji's room is, so I'll trust that you can find it. I'll probably be gone by the time you wake up, I've got to leave before the sun comes up. And as for scolding you… I think you're smart enough to figure it out. Now go to sleep," He turned away, too, walking off into his own bedroom. 

"I suppose that means no dinner…" Shikamaru chuckled tiredly, "Still hungry, though…" 

Choji wrapped his arms around both his boyfriends, pulling them into a warm embrace, "I still have some snacks in my room, you wouldn't think I'd let you go hungry so easily now would you, Hotstuff?" 

##########...##########

 _Sunday, ten-thirty AM, Choji's bedroom,_

The morning sun found only two boys in Choji's bed, Shikamaru frowned as he realized Shino was missing. 

"Hey, Pumpkin, do you know where Sexy is?" He gently nudged the sleeping form beside him. 

"Here…" 

"No, he's not." 

"Bathroom?" 

"I'll check…" He got up. 

A little while later, Shikamaru returned, "He's nowhere, Pumpkin…" 

The other groaned, "Don't be _stupid_ , he's gotta be _somewhere_ …" 

"Maybe, but not in this house. Or the garden. I checked everywhere. Sexy's not here…" 

Finally, Choji opened his eyes, "We've got _names_ , you know…" 

His boyfriend smirked, "I like Pumpkin and Sexy better… But seriously, Shino's not _here._ " 

"No note?" 

" _Nothing!_ I'm seriously starting to get worried…" The Nara bit his lip. 

"He just up and left?!" Choji finally got out of bed, rubbing in his eyes, "Where did he go?" 

"How the _hell_ should _I_ know?! I just said there's no note!" 

"Maybe his dad came to pick him up…? Or maybe he has a mission…?" 

Shikamaru glared at him, "You _really_ believe that?" 

"I'm just hoping at this point, Hotstuff… I really don't want to think about the other option…" 

"You mean that he's left us…" There were tears in the Nara's voice, _he_ hadn't want to think about it, either.

##########...##########

 _ **A/N:**_ _So… Yes, cliffhanger. Big one. And I probably won't be able to update until Sunday or so, so you can all just stew over this one for a couple days :)  
_

_It's the start of a new leaf for this fic, as I'm starting to incorporate some hurt and stuffs (Kakashi being nervous about the treasure hunt doesn't really count) Anyway, have fun pondering on this ^.^  
_

_Muhahahahahahahahahaha! :K  
_

_( I_ _ **so**_ _love being a tease…)_


	17. That night when you called his name

AUTHORS NOTE: Yeah, I know this is sad and all… But it also contains some pretty decent smut if I do say so myself. And I've been wanting to examine Neji's point of view a little more.  
Besides, I wanted to upload, but I didn't want to spoil my little suspension thingy… I'm _such_ a tease… But don't tell me you don't love it ;) 

##########...##########

 **That night when you called his name**

##########...##########

 _Sunday, eleven AM, Hyuga Training Grounds,  
_

He missed. Missed again. One punch landed, but the follow-up missed.  
Neji was getting frustrated with himself, and he was pretty sure his uncle was getting annoyed with him too. 

"Neji, _focus!_ What could've _possibly_ gotten you so distracted?" 

"I apologize. I have some… Personal issues that I can't seem to be able to get out of my head. Maybe we should give up on training for today, it's doubtful I'll learn anything right now," The young Hyuga wore a wry smile as he stepped back from his training partner. 

"You've been distracted for a while now, I don't think skipping training just for today is going to be enough. I promised your father I would take care of you, Neji. And even though I've neglected that duty too much in the past, will you allow me to help you now? Sit down with some tea? We could talk about what it is that's bothering you." 

"I am sorry, I can't. It's… Too personal. Thank you for the offer, Lord Hizashi, but I think I need some time alone."

The young man walked off, and Hizashi wondered for the umpteenth time what was wrong with him. He _had_ been neglecting Neji for too long. When his brother sacrificed his life, he'd had one last request: Please take care of my son. 

He hadn't been doing that.  
But now… The situation had changed, their relationship had changed. Hizashi had gotten to know the young man better these past few years. And he knew that if Neji got distracted, it meant that something was amiss. Very much so. Still… He couldn't very well _force_ the boy to talk to him. 

##########...##########

 _Sunday-eleven-fifteen PM, Neji's bedroom,  
_

_I should not be so distracted over this. Even though I love him, forever, Shino has made his choice.  
_

He scoffed.

 _Shikamaru Nara and Choji Akimichi._  
 _I wasn't enough for you, huh? You had to have two of them. And_ _ **those**_ _two…  
Disgusting…  
_

_No, I shouldn't think like that. He's made his choice. He chose them over me.  
_

_It's faith after all. They're the heirs to their respective clans, I'm just from the branch family. My purpose is to serve, not to love. It's faith.  
_

_It doesn't matter that I love him. It doesn't matter how amazing I can make him feel. It doesn't even matter that he, in time, could love me. It's faith.  
_

_But I_ _ **love**_ _him. I love him so much, it hurts. Please, Shino… Can we look past faith? Just for this once? Even if it's just one more night together. I love you, Shino.  
I know you love me too, but you can't admit it. I'm branch family, after all.  
_

_That will never change. Even if the situation isn't as dire as I had believed for all those years. Even if I am now accepted at a member of the clan. I bear the mark. I am a branch family member. It's faith.  
_

_You cannot love me, but I love you.  
_

_I love your quiet manners, the way you scrunch up your nose when the food tastes too strong. I love your eyes, I love your hands, so dexterous, so lean and perfect.  
I love the way your body feels against mine, the way your hands would ghost over my skin. Pale on pale, no distinction between us. We never needed many words, touches sufficed.  
_

_I love you, Shino.  
_

_I love your pink lips, so soft when I kiss them, that secret sense of humor that would have me laughing despite it all. I love your confidence, both out there and in here.  
In here, where we spent so many a night. In here where I was granted to right to gaze upon your total perfection.  
_

_In here, where you called_ _ **his**_ _name…  
_

Dropping himself down on the bed, Neji let his head fall in his hands. 

_That night that I can't forget no matter how hard I try. I can't forget how you called his name.  
I __**love**_ _you, Shino… Why wasn't that enough?  
_

Tears filled his lavender eyes, but the young Hyuga disregarded them. His mind overflowing with images, memories. Causing him physical pain. 

_**That**_ _night…  
_

##########...##########

 _That night, Neji's bedroom,  
_

Soft hands ghosted over supple skin as Neji straddled his lover, his hands roaming the bare chest before him as Shino's wandered his legs. Neji shivered in the cold, but that did not matter to him, Shino did. The one he loved beyond life itself. Shino mattered. Shino was everything.  
And just the thought of the Aburame's hands on his body was enough to drag him out of bed in the morning, to accept this life that held no other joys. 

Leaning down, he placed a gentle kiss on soft lips, "Shino, I love you." 

He knew the other wouldn't say it back. Not yet. But he would, given time. He loved Shino so much, those feelings had to be reciprocated, even if his lover couldn't say the words yet.  
He didn't have to. Neji knew. He could feel it in the gentle touches, could taste it in soft kisses, in hungry kisses, in his lovers taste as he emptied himself in the Hyuga's mouth. 

He knew, and someday, Shino would know too. 

His lover's soft touches became more urgent, demanding more. He was happy to give this man all he had, everything. Body and soul, they belonged to Shino. 

Softly tracing his fingers along the pale, perfect skin, Neji released but a little chakra, earning him panting moans from his lover. 

He smiled, no-one else could make Shino feel like this. No-one else loved him like Neji did.  
His lips trailed after his fingertips, placing soft, loving kisses. Trailing down lower and lower on his lover's body. 

Shifting a little, he allowed his body to move back, so his fingers could travel further down. His lips following close behind. His hands deftly avoided his lover's erection, as did his lips. 

Moving further down, Neji allowed his fingers to lightly browse over Shino's balls, earning him a low moan. He smiled again, everything about Shino was perfect, but these moans, the moans that only _he_ could drag out of the reserved Aburame, they were perhaps his favorite. 

Or perhaps it was his taste, he pondered as his pink tongue flicked out to steal away his lover's pre-cum. His hands were still trailing lower, fingers ghosting on pale inner thighs. 

"Do it." 

Another smile crept up on the Hyuga's face, his lover could be impatient sometimes. Moving his hands back up, he lightly pressed his fingers against the soft patch of skin between his lover's member and his balls. Pinching ever so lightly, cutting of the chakra flow as well as some other bodily functions. 

He looked up, Shino's cheeks were flushed, pink color on pale skin. Oh, how he loved that pale skin.  
Neji swallowed, tears threatening to cloud his vision. Threatening to blur the sight of the one he loved beyond all else. He swallowed again, almost overcome by this overwhelming feeling of eternal love. 

Dipping his head, he kissed along the length of Shino's proud erection. _His_ erection. The one _he_ had called forth, the one _he_ would take responsibility for.  
The one that haunted his dreams. 

He placed his lips around the tip of Shino's member, softly licking. He could hear his lover panting, could feel him trying to move. But he wouldn't. Couldn't. For now, Shino could only lay back, relishing in his lover's ministrations. 

Gliding down lower, Neji increased the frequency of his flicking tongue, smiling as he heard the moans this drew out of his lover.  
Shino was panting under him, there was no greater feeling in the world. 

He softly grabbed hold of Shino's member, steadying the throbbing flesh, making sure not to release any more chakra into his lover's body. His head bobbed down lower, taking in more and more of the most perfect being the young man had ever seen. 

His lips and tongue worked almost automatically, instinctually touching his lover the way he knew Shino loved his touches best. His mind was too distracted by his lover's sounds to have much to do with it, anyway. 

Neji could feel the pressure building up, and placed one, pale hand upon an equally pale stomach. Releasing his chakra, he dissolved the blockades he had put up in Shino's chakra points. Allowing his lover to shudder as his climax washed over him. 

The Hyuga sat back on his knees, watching as his lover's eyes fluttered, his body convulsed.  
But Shino's erection still stood proud. That was one chakra point he'd neglected to re-open, not wanting this night to end just yet. 

Dark eyes looked up at him, a pink tongue flicked out to lick dry lips. Shino was still panting, not a word passed his lips – his _perfect_ lips – but Neji knew. He knew what his lover wanted, what he _needed_. 

He swallowed, moving back a little to allow this perfect being to roll over, to lay on his stomach as he always did on such occasions. It was because he loved him, trusted him. Neji knew that. He had never felt the need to ask, he _knew._

Shifting again, he moved forward, gently tracing pale fingers around the puckered hole. He could never resist in this short moment, this moment when his lover showed him how much he trusted him, loved him, he needed to touch, to stroke. 

But never long. The perfect being didn't like it if he lingered for too long. Neji let out a small sigh as he deftly slipped one finger inside, his lover moved, almost violently, moving back against him. 

Neji loved these moments, too. He loved every moment he spent with Shino, because they were all perfect. He wanted to take his time, to languidly touch his lover, his Shino. But not tonight. Tonight the pale boy was writhing. Neji knew that tonight it would not be slow. 

Tonight, it would be painful, because that was what his lover wanted. He had told him so himself, on one of those rare occasions that they talked. His lover had needed to talk, had needed to say it. Explain. But now, Neji was more than willing to give him what he wanted, what he so desperately _needed_ , right now. 

And Neji was the only one who could give it to him. 

The Hyuga smiled again, pressing in two fingers, roughly stretching. His lover squirmed, urging him to continue. It was clear to Neji now, his Shino could wait no longer. 

Swiftly slicking up his own member, he slid in without hesitation, earning a gasp and moans that only he could call forth. Working his arm around for a moment, he undid the chakra seal. Drawing out another low moan from his lover. 

He could feel Shino move against him, pale on pale, connected by the most intimate of touches.  
His perfect being needed him, and Neji had no choice but to obey. 

Moving back, he snapped in with force, the first time, he could always still hear him, and for a moment, Neji delighted in the sounds his Shino made. 

The second time he thrust in, the sounds were almost impossible to hear over his own panted moans, but he knew what Shino sounded like now, the memory of it playing like a symphony in his head. 

By the fourth thrust, he could hear nothing but his own ragged breath. 

By the seventh thrust, only the blood rushing in his ears remained. 

By the eleventh trust, his lover yelled. 

His perfect being released himself, and as always, Neji strained his ears, held his breath. Maybe today he would finally hear them. The words that would make his entire existence complete. 

I love you. 

He waited for the words to come, his eyes already tearing up, it would be today. He knew it, like he knew so many things. 

" _ **Sh-Shi-Shikamaru!"  
**_

##########...##########

 _Sunday-eleven-forty PM, Neji's bedroom,_

Neji cried hopelessly. 

_I still love him._

##########...##########

 _ **A/N:**_ _So this was… Different… heh, hope you guys liked it anyway, because you'll have to make do with it for a little while.  
_

_And yes, I am a tease. I know it, and I love it. Deal with it. :P_


	18. Kakashi throws a fit

AUTHORS NOTE: This has _got_ to be one of the longest chapters I've _ever_ written! And it's not even smutty! Sorry, my perverted peeps ;)  
Although, personally, I had a _lot_ of fun writing this, I realize it's… A little different from the chapters you've come to expect on Three Clans. No worries, though. I know where I'm going with this (not really, though :P)  
Anyway, I'll probably get back to writing smuttyness soon, so hold your horses! 

Anyway, here's the chapter I've been making you wait for, I really hope it was worth the wait! (and suspension. And no, Shino did not go and get groceries first, Vicky :P)

##########...##########

 **Kakashi throws a fit**

##########...##########

 _Sunday, ten-fifteen AM, Kakahsi's apartment,_

There was a knock on the door, and the brunette went to open it. 

"Good morning Iruka-sensei."

"Shino! What are you doing here?" 

"I was actually hoping to speak with Kakashi-sensei." 

"Ah, well, this _is_ his apartment after all…" Iruka took a half-step back, peering into the room behind him, "Just a sec… Okay, come on in, Shino." 

The boy thanked him before crossing the threshold. When he did so, he noticed the silver-haired man was just pulling his undershirt down over his stomach –most likely, only a second ago, his face had been unmasked.

##########...##########

"So Shino, what can I do for you?" 

"I wanted to ask you something, Kakaksi-sensei." 

"I kind of figured… Spill it kid." 

"It is about Neji Hyuga…" 

Iruka came back from the kitchen area, carrying the tea,  
"Neji?! What about him?" 

"I suppose that Shino is wondering how I knew that the two of them went out together for a little while." 

"I do not. You already knew about my boyfriends, too. However, I _do_ wonder why you felt the need to bring Neji up at that point, especially the way you did." 

Iruka looked thoroughly confused now, but didn't say anything. Instead passing around the tea, and making himself comfortable on the floor cushions, sitting right next to his boyfriend so that they were all but touching. He had nothing to fear from Shino Aburame, and Iruka had been the one to propose telling his old students anyway. It was Kakashi who was always so insecure about these things. 

Like love made you less of a shinobi, somehow. 

"Ah, Shino, you _really_ don't understand?" 

"I do not, Kakashi-sensei, and because you brought it up, I was forced to explain the situation before I'd really had a chance to think about how I was going to do that." 

"I think that's exactly why he brought it up, Shino," Iruka was quickly catching on at this point, softly urging the Aburame to think about it once more. 

A slight frown settled on the young face. 

"I would have told them, I do not intend to keep anything from my lovers." 

"Then when did you plan on telling them?" Kakashi sounded a little harsh, now, "When you'd finally rehearsed the whole thing in your head?" 

"I believe I would have liked the chance to think on it some more, yes." 

Kakashi almost scoffed, "Kid, you've got this thing backwards. Either you trust your boyfriend – _boyfriend_ _ **s –**_ in your case, or you don't. And how can they trust you if you sit on information like that for _any_ length of time, just because you're a bit anxious to tell them?" 

"They could very well start to wonder what else you didn't say," Iruka jumped in. 

Shino frowned again, lifting his teacup to give himself a moment to think about his sensei's words. 

"I would not have waited long," He replied softly. 

Kakashi sighted, looking over at Iruka for a moment, "Babe, how long before you told me about that guy?" 

"I'd say… Before we even went out, right?" 

"Sounds about right… I think it was the first time I asked you out… The time you don't _remember,_ " The copy ninja added wryly. 

Shino sat his cup back down, the slightly too loud thud of the impact between the ceramic and the wood calling the two men back from their side conversation. 

"It was different with us, as there was no time to discuss such things. Kakashi-sensei, I would appreciate it if you were to keep your nose out of our relationship." 

The boy stood, bowing in thanks for the tea and the chance to speak with them before turning to leave. 

"Shino," Kakashi called after him, "Don't walk away, please. We're not done as far as I'm concerned." 

"I have a different opinion on the matter, Kakashi-sensei," But he stopped all the same. 

Iruka, too, felt like there was more to discuss, especially given the Aburame's sudden cold attitude. 

"Please sit back down, Shino." 

"I believe I would rather not, however, I will grant your request…" 

"Thank you," Kakashi offered the boy a smile, but Shino refused to acknowledge that, "Fine then," The jounin frowned, "What the hell happened between you three in the first place?" 

"That is not your concern, nor do I intend to break the trust between us by divulging such a thing." 

Kakashi leaned back a little, worrying the inside of his lip. 

"I was right, then," He said softly, "One of you got the other two drunk because you were all too scared to say anything. _That's_ how this whole thing started. _That's_ why it came so suddenly.  
Why Shikaku looked like he was about to have a heart attack, and why your father and Choji's didn't even know what he was talking about. 

You three never really sat down to talk about _anything,_ did you? And you come here to lecture _me_ about breaking trust? You poured so much alcohol down their throats that you could have your way with them, and you were probably hoping they wouldn't even remember in the morning!" The man sounded pretty angry by now. 

"Kakashi-sensei, you do not-" 

"Shut _up_ , Shino!" The silver-haired man interrupted, "Like it or not, I _am_ sticking my nose in. Have been from the day you three walked into our Lounge. Because _someone_ has to, and I don't put much faith in any of your parents given the subject.  
Trust is the most important thing in _any_ relationship, Shino. Be it friends, or romance, or even fuckbuddies. You have to have _trust_. 

And right now, you're building a relationship on a foundation that's _way_ too shaky, because even _if_ you guys trust each other – and I'm not saying you don't, I just find it very hard to believe at this point – That trust is undeserved. And it will _remain_ that way until you _stupid kids_ stop taking things for _granted_ and start putting in some _work_!  
Even now, you coming here, do they even _know_ where you are? _Don't_ tell me you just slipped out?!" 

The boy seemed to shy away from him, retreating into the depths of his high collar. 

Kakashi sighed, "Shino, I honestly thought _you_ were gonna be the _responsible_ one…" 

"I am sorry to disappoint you, Kakashi-sensei…" His voice sounded small, sad. 

Prompting Iruka to speak up on the Aburame's behalf, "They're still kids, Kakashi, I think you're being a bit too hard –" 

"If they're old enough to get themselves mixed up in a multi-amorous relationship I can't consider them to be children anymore, Iruka," The jounin frowned, "If they _really_ love each other it's high time they started acting like it!" 

"I am sorry, Kakashi-sensei." 

"Don't _apologize_ , Shino, _improve!_ Learn each other's fucking _boundaries_. I'll be willing to _bet_ you that at least _one_ of you has crash-landed already –" 

Shino bowed his head, the image of Choji's tears fresh on his mind. 

Kakashi's voice suddenly softened, "It's Choji, right? Is he doing okay?" 

"I believe so… We _did_ calm him down again…" The boy was almost crying, his voice strained by tears. 

"What happened?" 

"It's _personal_ , Kakashi-sensei. I cannot…" 

Iruka sighed, leaning back on his hands, "Shino, he _has_ a point, you know. You've gotten yourself tangled up in a relationship that most adults would find too taxing, and yet… You're the _only_ one who has _any_ experience whatsoever…  
You might as well make use of _our_ experience before this thing crashes and burns…" 

"It will not. I love them." 

Kakashi scoffed, "If you think that's enough, you're a kid. A _stupid_ kid. You should know better, Shino. _Don't_ think I haven't seen the looks Neji gives you, if just _loving_ someone was enough, you'd still be with _him_." 

"I never loved Neji." 

"No, that's pretty clear," Sarcasm was laced into the jounin's voice. Kakashi took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down a little, "Still… _He_ seems to think it's a matter of time." 

"Yes." 

"Are you starting to get this, Shino? Or am I going to have to dumb it down even _more_?!" He raised his voice again, frustration getting the better of the silver-haired man. 

"I understand. However, this does _not_ give you the right to meddle in my relationship," He tried to stay calm, getting angry at Kakashi-sensei would serve absolutely no purpose at all. 

Iruka leaned forward, resting his arms on the table, his eyes studying the boy before him, "Is that what you think we're doing? Meddling?" 

"It is obvious, Iruka-sensei." Shino frowned. 

Suddenly, Kakashi leaped to his feet, "I've had _enough_ of this crap! If you won't listen to reason, I might as well give up. Go and destroy two boys for all _I_ care, Shino. Just don't come back here complaining about how everything fell apart because you were too _fucking scared_ to do anything about it!" He turned into the bathroom, slamming the door shut. 

Iruka stared at the bathroom door for a few seconds, when he spoke up, he sounded thoughtful, "He doesn't normally do that, you know… Get angry at someone about their personal life, I mean.  
It's because he cares, and Kakashi doesn't really care that much about most people…"  
He turned back to the Aburame, a small frown settling on his brow, "I don't think I like your attitude right now, young man. Although I understand… Still…" 

"I am quite sure I do not like what you're implying, Iruka-sensei. I will leave now, I can promise you I will not come back here complaining about _anything_ falling apart." 

He got to his feet, but found his path blocked by the silver-haired man.  
Wide-legged, arms crossed, he just stood there. 

"Please allow me to pass, Kakashi-sensei," Shino did his best to keep the anger out of his voice, but he couldn't ban it all out. 

"No. You will sit down, _right now._ I've already sent Paccun to get the other two. You're _not_ leaving yet," He looked over at his boyfriend, "Iruka, please get some more tea ready, and maybe some breakfast? They've probably been looking for this one all morning. I doubt they've eaten yet." 

##########...##########

 _Sunday, eleven-ten AM, Kakahsi's apartment,_

Shino had realized he didn't have a choice anymore, sitting back down, he'd stared at his cold tea until a knock on the door broke the uneasy silence in the room. 

Kakashi just frowned again, so Iruka got up to open the door. 

"Shino!" Choji ran in, all but throwing himself at his boyfriend. 

Shikamaru followed a bit slower, Paccun trailing behind him. 

"Here they are, Kakashi. Need anything else?" 

"No, Paccun, thank you." He offered the dog a small smile before the summon left in a puff of smoke, "Please sit down, boys. We've been waiting for you." 

Shikamaru frowned, "What's this all about?" 

"Apparently the great Kakashi Hatake has decided to stick his nose in our relationship," Shino's angry tone was dripping with content. 

"That's right," The jounin's eye crinkled for a moment, though his voice sounded annoyed as he continued, "We've already had a _lovely_ talk, didn't we Shino?" 

"We did _not_." Anger flared in the boy's voice. 

Iruka swallowed, "Now, now, calm down you two. That's no way to behave. You-" 

" _Zip it_ , Iruka! We're _not_ in your classroom, right now! You two, _sit!"_

"I'm not one of your dogs, Kakashi," Shikamaru stated calmly, before taking his place beside Shino. 

Choji had already instinctively dropped himself on the cushions the moment Kakashi had given his order, sitting on the Aburame's other side. 

All three of them looked a little sheepish for a few moments, until Shikamaru got up again, settling himself in the middle. That seemed to work. 

Kakashi chuckled, softly shaking his head, " _Kids…"_

"We are not. Did we not have this discussion already?" 

"Maybe, but you're still kids." 

Shikamaru frowned again, "What the hell is wrong with that? We're still young, are you going to expect us to completely grow up over night? _Man,_ you're troublesome… I sure hope _you_ never have kids…" Apparently, the Nara was also annoyed. 

Iruka sighed, before turning into Kakashi's little kitchen area.  
 _Well, we're off to a great start… Not.  
_

"Basically… Yes. You're acting like little children, and that's only going to hurt everyone involved." 

"Which you're not." 

"Oh, but I _am_ , Shikamaru. I am. Because by some twist of fate, you three practically fell into my lap in the Lounge. And ever since, I've been looking out for you. You know that." 

"Yeah… I know…" He conceded, very much aware of how much the jounin had already done for them, even if his boyfriends didn't fully understand. 

"Shino?" Choji sounded hesitant, "Why didn't you say where you were going? I was worried…" 

"I am sorry, Choji. I believed I would return before you woke up." 

Kakashi sighted, pushing his tea aside, "And _that's_ supposed to make everything better? Sneaking out, but coming back before anyone realizes? _Kid_." 

"What's _your_ problem?" Shikmaru cut in, "Whatever it is, it's not _ours_ , so back off already!" 

"Your problem _is_ my problem." 

"But… We don't _have_ a problem…" Choji was still trying to make sense of all of this. Kakashi-sensei was upset, Shino was upset, and even Shikamaru was getting upset. The gentle boy didn't understand it anymore. 

"Choji… Do you trust them?" Kakashi kept his tone soft, deliberately so. 

"Of course I do!" He raised his eyebrows, looking back and forth between his lovers and the older man, "I- They're- I love them…" 

"According to Kakashi-sensei, that is not enough…" Shino said sarcastically. 

"It's not, Shino. And _please_ don't tell me you're _still_ not getting it…" 

" _I'm_ not," Shikamaru spoke up, "I have _no_ idea what you're on about." 

Kakashi sighed, looking up for a moment as Iruka returned, carrying a tray of healthy snacks. 

" _Fine_ , so you love each other, so _what_? Right now you seem to trust each other, so _what_? What's going to happen if something goes wrong? What'll happen when you go your separate ways on missions? What will you do if it proves difficult to spent time with _both_ your boyfriends at the same time? Have you even _thought_ about any of this?" 

"Yes. We did. Why do _you_ care? _Troublesome…"  
_

"Is it, though?" Iruka asked, sitting back down, "Is it really so troublesome to think about the future of your relationship? If that's the case, you might as well part ways right now…" 

"You too?" Shikamaru frowned at the teacher. 

"Yes, Shikamaru, me too. Really, at first I thought Kakashi was overreacting, but –" 

"He _is_ , though" Choji cut in, grabbing a couple Edamame. 

"I'm just trying to get you to realize how important it is to talk, Choji," Kakashi sighed. 

"We talk, _you_ just don't have to be a part of that," Shikamaru crossed his arms, another frown settling on his brow. 

"Think I _want_ to? Think I _give_ a fuck about your private conversations? I _don't._  
I _do_ , however, care about _you_. And you're on the path to destruction. First, you get drunk and fuck. Second, you all pretend nothing happened. Third, you give Shikaku the fright of his life, and probably Yoshino as well, and as if _that_ wasn't enough, you turn around and barge into _our_ Lounge, flaunting a relationship that doesn't even fucking _exist!_  
You expect _everyone_ to be cool with it, while _you're_ _not!_ You dump your fucking shit on Asuma, on Kurenai, on _me!_ And then you expect _us_ to help you out, because _you're_ too much of a _fucking coward_ to do it yourselves! 

And that, _all_ that, I accepted. I _helped_ you, even though I had to screw _myself_ over to do so!  
And _what_ do you do? You three _fucking disappear!_ Shikaku, Choza, Shibi, do you have _any_ idea how worried they were? Do you give a _damn_ about that?  
And when they _finally_ give in and call for back-up, _you_ –" He slammed his fist on the table, venting some of the anger that was quickly threatening to overcome the man _,_ " _You three_ , just _fucking casually_ walk in, like _nothing fucking happened!_ We were about to go _look_ for you, do you know how often that _happens_? _Never,_ that _never_ happens! Inside this village, no-one _ever_ goes missing! 

But _you!_ You just walk around like there's _nothing_ wrong, like everyone should just _accept_ it. And you're _right_ , they _should._ But they _won't._ Do you have _any_ idea how long it took for them to get used to Iruka and me? _Do you?!  
_

Did you even _think_ to consider the fact that without _us,_ you would've been in for a _world_ of hurt?!  
 _Six months,_ Shikamaru, it took _six fucking long months_ before I could even _touch_ him in public! And you seem to think _nothing_ could ever happen to _you_! 

We were _convinced_ something was _wrong_! We thought you'd gotten yourself beaten up, for god's sake! There were _seven_ jounin standing by to _rescue_ you! Not to _mention_ Iruka! We had _Tsunade_ on stand-by! A fucking _hospital room_ reserved! But you didn't even _consider_ any of that.  
 _Fucking, idiotic_ _ **kids!**_ " 

He fell silent, panting. Arms crossed, the silver-haired man wore a hard expression. 

Minutes ticked by, and no-one spoke. The three young men were exasperated. No, they _didn't_ consider the fact that anyone might've thought they could be in danger. They _didn't_ realize it had taken their elders so long just to be accepted. They _didn't_ think about _any_ of that.  
They'd been too pre-occupied with each other… 

"Kakashi-sensei…" Choji was the first to look up, to withstand the jounin's harsh look, "We're – _I'm_ sorry. You're right, I never realized any of that…" 

Kakashi said nothing, waited. 

Shikamaru realized it, but he wasn't ready to face the man just yet.  
 _How come I never realized any of that? It took them six months? Six months before he could even_ _ **touch**_ _him? How come I never knew? How…  
_

"I apologize also. I was angry with you before, however… I understand now." 

Shikamaru swallowed, "Me too…" 

Kakashi's icy stare thawed, "Three. Me three. There's three of you," He spoke softly, as if his outburst had never even happened, "I just want you to be safe. You understand that, right?" 

"We do… Now…" Choji offered. 

Kakashi chuckled, "Good. Now if you could all stop looking at me like I'm about to explode again that would be highly appreciated… I really didn't mean to yell at you like that. It's just…" He sighed, "I thought you _knew_ this stuff…" 

"Sorry Kakashi, all we really know is each other… I know it's stupid, but I at least, never even thought about it before. I mean… It's not like I ever heard anything about it…" 

"Apparently so… I thought Shikaku said he _talked_ to you three…" 

"Dad just… Embarrassed us, pretty much…" 

Another chuckle from the silver-haired man, "How so?" 

Choji turned bright-red, looking down at the table, "He… Sort of forgot to knock…" 

Iruka leaned forward, amused surprise on his face, "He _didn't!_ Really? Oh my…" He shot his boyfriend an amused glance, "I'm _so_ happy we have locks on the door, right now…" 

"It's not – We weren't – " 

"Choji, chill… We were just making out… Dad turned pretty red, though…" 

Kakashi nodded thoughtfully, "Shikaku's not really a fan…" 

"What do you mean? He said he didn't have a problem with it…" There was worry in the Nara's voice, "He just… He said that we had to keep up proper manners when we weren't, you know, in my room… But…" 

"Shikaku also said that we should inform him if there was anything we needed… I do not believe he would lie about that." 

"He probably didn't, Shino. But, it's not exactly a secret that Shikaku Nara would rather see both Kakashi and me find ourselves a nice woman," Iruka offered the three a small smile, "Not like _that'_ ll ever happen…" 

"You might, at least you don't scare 'm off…" 

"Then stop reading those books out in public!" He playfully slapped his boyfriend's arm, "But I don't want to, though. I love _you._ " 

Choji hesitated but for a moment, "Did you… Did you really think we got attacked for… _us_?" 

"You were gone, nowhere to be found. And both Iruka and me have had our fair share of scornful looks. You're younger… They'd never dare try to beat _me_ up, and I think I made it pretty clear that if anyone so much as _touched_ Iruka, I'd kill them. But _you_ … Yeah, we really thought you were in trouble." 

Iruka placed his hand on the leg next to him, offering a little comfort to the man he loved, "Where were you, anyway?" 

"Out in the Forest…" 

"Iruka, they already said so yesterday… The little boys fell asleep," But he smiled, he wasn't trying to hurt them, just… Poking a little fun. 

"Yeah, okay… But we didn't see them on the first sweep…" 

"You already searched for us?" 

"Yeah, we just came back to check if anyone had found you yet, Shikamaru, and, if not, to formulate a formal plan," Iruka explained, "So where were you?" 

"Pretty deep in, we… Did not want to be disturbed…" Shino said carefully. 

"Means you were out there screwing each other's eyeballs out… Forget it, Iruka, they're not gonna tell you where exactly. If they managed to accidentally dodge the first sweep, they're gonna wanna keep that exact location to themselves." 

"Preferably…" 

"So Kakashi's _right?_ You were gone till deep in the night because you were _fucking?!"_ Iruka was exasperated. Sleeping,fine. _Fucking_ …? Not so much. 

But the Nara smirked, the Akimichi blushed and the Aburame said, "I would rather not go into any more detail, Iruka-sensei." 

So they most _definitely_ were… 

"Back to my original point though…" Kakashi said slowly, "Choji, are you alright?" 

"What…? Yes… Why?" 

Shino sighed, "Kakashi-sensei correctly deduced that we've had some… Troubles. I did not inform him of the details, however. Whatever the man thinks he knows, he figured out on his own." 

Kakashi chuckled, before turning serious again, "I just made the safest bet. Out of the three of you, Choji got picked on the most growing up. Just like, out of us two _, I'm_ the weaker link." 

"You're not weak, Sweetheart." 

"Weaker, I said weak _er_." He put up one finger, emphasizing his point, "But really, Choji… I'm not _meddling_ ," He gave Shino a wry smile, "I just want to know if you're okay." 

"I'm fine, Kakashi-sensei… I've got two amazing boyfriends, after all…" He smiled shyly, looking at the two in question. 

The Nara returned his smile, before turning to the two men on the other side of the low table, "I know him. Just like I know Shino. Just like they know me. We will always be fine. I get your point, though… We need to talk more…" 

"That, and build trust. You're not exactly in the best position for either, right now. Not with everyone scrutinizing your every move, but… You still have to," Kakashi weaved a quick sign. 

Suddenly, it seemed like there was a dense fog surrounding the jounin's head, and he used the cover to calmly drink his tea. 

Iruka laughed at the baffled faces on the other side of the table, "How did you _think_ the man ever drank, or _ate_? He's out on missions most of the time!" 

Shikamaru shook his head, "That's one handy jutsu…" 

Kakashi, too, chuckled, "Yep."  
He sat his empty cup back down, hands quickly moving again. And there he was once more, face perfectly covered up by his dark-blue mask. 

"Anyway… I'll add my voice to Shikaku's, if there's ever anything you need, just let me know. Questions, too. I'll answer pretty much anything, so long as you steer clear of questions about my face, or Iruka." 

"About me?" 

"They're not stupid, Love. I mean your… _Preferences_." 

Shikamaru chuckled, "I got that, no worries, I'm pretty sure I don't _want_ to know…" 

"Hmmm? Just a precaution, then." 

"There's one thing I've been wondering about…" Choji said very softly, almost whispering. 

Kakshi's tone immediately got softer too, "What do you want to know?" 

But the Akimichi only blushed, looking down at the table.  
A few minutes passed before Shikamaru spoke up. 

"It's the lube, right?" 

Choji only nodded. 

"The cherry one?" Iruka inquired. 

"No… The one I gave to Shikamaru on the sly. I figured the lotion wasn't such a good idea…" 

"How did you even _know_ about that, though! I _know_ that stuff is completely unscented! I checked like a thousand times before I got it!" 

Iruka looked at him, his face one huge question mark, _"Why?!"_

"Because… I didn't want to give my dad any more reason to hassle me…" Shikamaru answered, obviously embarrassed. 

"Could've gone for the straight for the lube, though…" 

"Kakashi, do you have _any_ idea what my dad's like?!" 

"I'm beginning to feel thankful that I don't," The older man smirked, "Anyway, Choji, to answer your question… Honestly it's better. Lotion's fine, I guess. It's not like it won't do the trick, or that it's a bad choice. But…" He chuckled self-consciously, "Lube just feels better, I suppose…" 

Shino blushed, retreating back into his hoodie, but he still concurred, "He's right… It's… Different, better…" 

Kakashi chuckled again, "And as far as unscented goes… Not so much, Shikamaru. Not to me, at least. Not to Kiba, either. That's actually why I worried a little about the cherry stuff… Kiba's going to know days after. Showering isn't going to do you much good when it comes to the Inuzuka nose…" 

"I will handle Kiba. We've been on the same team for years. And two can play at that game," There was an evil look on Shino's face, but the others quickly figured they would probably rather not know. 

Iruka softly shook his head, "Just so you know, Kakashi isn't the only one you can ask. Although he's probably the better option. Still, he's away a lot, I'm pretty much always in the village. But, right now, though, unless there's something else…?" 

There wasn't, so the three left. They had a lot to think about…


	19. Love is wet pants

AUTHORS NOTE: Here's your beloved smuttyness!  
I absolutely _loved_ writing this one, really did. It may be short, but… _Awwwww….._ At least, that's _my_ opinion, what's yours? 

And a huge thanks goes out to EbonyRiddenSoul for giving me not one, but _two_ detailed reviews.  
You know what I always say, reviews make chapters magically appear, so… Here's one more!

##########...##########

 **Love is wet pants**

##########...##########

 _Sunday, twelve-fifteen PM, Kakahsi's apartment,  
_

"You sent them away just so you could to _this_?" Kakashi mumbled as his lover trailed soft kisses along his jaw. 

The brunette smiled, "No, I intend to do a _lot_ more, Sweety…" 

"Hmmm? I guess it's alright then, although I wasn't actually _done_ yet…" 

Iruka stopped, looking his lover directly in the eye, suddenly sounding serious, " _They_ were, Sweetheart. Give them time to mull it over. Besides, what else were you gonna say, anyway?" 

"Hmm, that question about the lube sparked some… Concerns, on my part. Didn't you feel the need to check whether or not they actually have a clue what they're doing? Or to ask what happened with Choji?" 

"And call forth another argument? No thank you. Besides, they'll figure it out on their own, and they know they can come to us with any questions –" 

Kakashi raised one eyebrow, "You think they actually will?" 

His lover sighed, "I guess we can only hope so… But I'm pretty sure they wouldn't even ever _consider_ it if had we made them even more awkward just now. And Shino _does_ have _some_ experience." 

"With that _Hyuga_ … That's different." 

"What do you mean? That was only one boyfriend instead of their current triangle thing? Or do you just have a problem with Neji?" 

"Not really, kid can't really help it, after all… No Babe, I meant sex with a Hyuga is… _Different._ " 

"Oh, right… You have some experience with –" 

"Don't even say his _name_ , Iruka!" The copy ninja shuddered, "I _really_ don't want to think about it anymore…" 

"Then think about this," The brunette smiled, sealing his lips to Kakashi's. 

The older man kissed him back hungrily, pressing his body against his lover. Both men moaned into the kiss, and when they finally broke for air, both were panting. 

Iruka tucked at the hem of Kakashi's undershirt, his lover hadn't bothered to put anything on besides that and his pants, which came in handy now.  
With a little help, Kakashi quickly wiggled free of his shirt, and Iruka immediately pushed him down on the cushions. 

He took his time examining his lover's bare torso, hands ghosting over pale skin. Leaving a trail of goose bumps in their wake. 

Kakashi was already panting, his stiffening cock fighting against the restricting pants. Iruka noticed, but ignored the man's erection for now.  
Bending down, he caught one hard nipple between his lips, flicking his tongue over the little nub.  
Kakashi gasped, his hands clenched to fists as his body jolted. 

Iruka placed his hands over the other man's wrists, keeping the jounin's hands in place as he knew they'd be up in his hair within seconds otherwise.  
They would try to push his head down, try to force him to pay attention to the writhing man's throbbing erection. 

_That's not going to happen yet…_ Iruka smiled, biting down on the little nub still caught between his lips. His lover moaned, bucking his hips. 

" _Irukaaaa_ …." He whined, "Baby, _please_!" 

The brunette smiled again. He'd found Kakashi's weak spot by accident their second time together, and had been making good use of the knowledge ever since. 

There was but one way to make Kakashi whine and beg like this, and Iruka loved the sound too much to give into his lover's pleas so easily. 

Moving his lips to the right, he repeated his actions from before, biting down a little harder this time. The silver-haired man yelped before returning to his previous whiny state, "Babe _, please_ … Ah, Love… _Please_ , Baby, please…" 

Iruka toyed around some more, listening as his lover's pleas grew increasingly desperate.  
Thinking his love had had enough for now, the brunette relinquished his hold on the little pebble, eliciting a deep sigh from the other man. 

" _Irukaaa_ … Babe… That's… _Harsh_ …" He panted.

Iruka just smiled, placing soft kisses on his lover's lips, "I know, I love you, though," He whispered against pink lips. 

"I… Love you… Too… But… Right now – _Ahh!_ " The man bucked his hips violently as Iruka flicked his tongue out again, teasing his nipple, "I really _hate_ you…" 

Iruka chuckled, "I know. But it's your own fault for being so sexy." 

" _Not_ fai– _Ah! Irukaaa…."_

The brunette smiled again, squeezing a little, delighting in his lover's moans. When he lifted his head again, Kakashi shot him a frustrated look, " _Damn_ Babe… Take the pants off first, come _on_... Let me _feel_ you… _please…_ " 

"No, Sweetheart, they're not coming off just yet… I think I'm in the mood to tease you a little more…" He winked before biting down on Kakashi's nipple once more, even harder now. After, he smoothed the skin over with soft licks, placing a gentle kiss on the little nub. 

Looking up at the man he loved so much, Iruka smirked.  
Kakashi had lifted his head a little, looking his lover straight in the eyes as he panted. 

Suddenly, he let his head drop back, struggling to escape Iruka's hold. But the other had anticipated that, holding on tight until Kakashi gave up again. Smirking at the man that lay panting beneath him. 

" _That_ little stunt just earned you _this_ ," He moved down to Kakashi's chest once more, choosing the other nipple, biting down hard, licking at the sensitive flesh before biting down again. 

Kakashi whimpered, beyond words now. 

As Iruka sat back a little, he admired the jounin's chest once more. Eying his handy work, he realized he'd really have to stop now for fear of breaking the skin. So instead he leaned in to kiss his lover on the lips, softly, using this as an apology. 

He knew he'd gone a bit too far, getting carried away by Kakashi's sounds.  
Iruka could hear his lover mumble against his lips, "Please no more… Enough now, Babe…" 

"Enough now," He whispered back, letting go of Kakashi's wrists. 

The first thing the copy ninja did was push Iruka up a little, "It hurts… Don't lay there, Babe…" 

"I'm sorry –" 

"No," Kakashi smiled up at him, "It's good, just too sensitive right now… Could we _please_ get rid of the pants now?" 

Iruka smirked, "No," Placing his hand on the little tent in Kakashi's pants, he massaged the hot flesh underneath. 

"Oh god… _Irukaaa… please, no… Ah_ … Babe, _please_ … Ah _, yes_ …" 

Iruka smiled, it'd been a while since he actually made his boyfriend cum in his pants, too long. According to Iruka at least. 

Kakashi's arms were still captured as he had no choice but to support his lover's weight, keeping Iruka off his over-sensitive chest.  
Iruka, on the other hand, now had both hands free. One, tied up massaging Kakashi's cock, the other currently occupied stroking the beautiful face he'd longed to see for so long. 

Kakashi's face was flushed, his grey eye fluttering as he panted, gasped and moaned at Iruka's touches.  
When Iruka felt his lover tense up, he shifted slightly, the hand that had been stroking Kakashi's face now supporting his own weight. 

He felt the body under him shudder, eye scrunched tight as the wet patch in Kakashi's pants steadily grew larger. 

##########...##########

Kakashi opened his eye to find Iruka leaning over him, studying him. The brunette smiled, "That was good." 

Averting his gaze he grumbled, "That was _embarrassing… Irukaaa_ , I told you, never in my _pants…."_ He whined. 

"You're just _too_ adorable when I do that, I couldn't resist," Iruka offered him a warm smile. 

The jounin sighed, looking back up, "I know…" Reaching up, he pushed his lover away, scrambling to get up.  
When he moved, Kakashi winced at the awkward feel of his wet pants, "Iruka… I know you like it and all… But…" 

"I know," His lover appeared above him again, gently pushing him on his back so he could undo the button and zipper, "Just every once in a while…" He chuckled, "Honestly, Sweety, you can be such an embarrassed little teenager sometimes…" 

The silver-haired man muttered something under his breath, wiggling to free himself of his pants, "One day, Babe, one day I'm gonna figure out your thing. And then I'm gonna use it over and over and over and _over_ and _over_ _and over…"  
_

His lover chuckled again, "I don't have a 'thing', Sweetheart. And I don't use yours over and over and over and _over_ ," He laughed at the exaggeration, "Last time was months ago." 

"Not long enough… I don't mind that first bit – no wait, _love_ that," He gave Iruka a loving smile, "But _seriously_ … Take the pants _off_ …" 

Iruka only smiled. He'd done this three times now, and Kakashi _still_ didn't seem to understand that his reaction after was half the fun. 

"Kakashi," He interrupted the other mid-sentence, "I love you." 

The older man smiled at him, all annoyance suddenly forgotten, "I love you too, Iruka." 

##########...##########

 _ **A/N:**_ _Short, but I didn't want to add a distraction after this. I think this little moment should just be savored for a little while.  
I think it's pretty cute, actually. What did you think about Kakashi's 'thing'…? xD _


	20. Aftermath

AUTHORS NOTE: So… I really don't even know what to type here this time around… But, Vicky sort of demanded another chapter, so… Here ya go!

##########...##########

 **Aftermath**

##########...##########

 _Sunday, twelve-fifteen PM, Konoha streets,_

"So… What else did the man say? Before we got there, I mean…" Shikamaru had shoved his hands in his pockets, looking up at the clouds as they walked through nearly deserted streets. 

Choji gently placed a hand on the Nara's arm, "Could we please not talk about this outside?" 

The boy in the middle nodded, "We could go back to the Forest –" 

"No, Shikamaru. I do not feel like this is a conversation we should be having anywhere but indoors. Either of our rooms is fine by me, however." 

"Fine, Shino. I guess you've got a point… So, where are we going, then?" 

"Choji, your place is closest, is it not?" 

"Yeah… But my mom is having friends over right now. I don't think I want to do this with eight or so woman chatting away in the living room…" 

"Choji's mom's friends are a living nightmare…" Shikamaru sighed, "My place is out, too. Dad's home and I don't want to face him right now, that's actually why I proposed going into the Forest again." 

"There are no such issues at my house. My father is away on a mission, and my mother is most likely out as well. Even If she is not, she will not bother us. So I propose we head to the Aburame Complex, if that is alright with you." 

"Your place it is, Sexy." 

"Please do not call me that outside…" 

"Sorry, slip of the tongue…" 

"If you're tongue is bored I know other things to occupy it with…" Shino licked his lips, causing Shikamaru to chuckle and Choji to blush. 

"See, that's _exactly_ where the name comes from!" 

"Guys… _Please!_ Let's just go over to Shino's place, okay?"

##########...##########

 _Sunday, twelve-thirty PM, Shino's bedroom,  
_

They'd settled themselves on the floor, Shino had quickly prepared some lunch, already apologizing for the fact that it was a rush job, and as such, probably not very good. 

"Honey, you're a liar, this _is_ good!" Choji smiled happily, taking another bite of his curry. 

"Thank you, however, it is my mother's recipe, so I really cannot take any credit. 

"Sexy, _you_ made it, doesn't matter where the recipe's from. But… Could we please get back to why we're here in the first place? What did Kakashi _say_ to you? I've never seen you get so angry before…" 

"Of course not. Kakashi-sensei was getting far too personal for my comfort, something the man refused to acknowledge." 

"Shino, Honey, please don't be angry anymore… You're with us, now." 

"I am. My apologies, Choji… Kakashi-sensei… Said a lot of things. Please give me a moment to sort my thoughts, as I have not been able to think on it before without feeling I would lose my temper…" 

The young Aburame sighed, scrunching up his face as he went over the conversation he´d had with the copy ninja and his boyfriend.  
The other two calmly waited, realizing it was probably a lot of information to sort through, not to mention the fact that it stirred some pretty ugly emotions in their boyfriend. So they ate in silence for a little while, until Shino suddenly pushed his plate away, an appalled look on his face. 

"Kakashi-sensei… Scolded me for not talking to the both of you prior to… That night.  
He has somehow deduced how we got together in the first place, although I can imagine Shikaku has something to do with that as well, as he… He told me we nearly gave your father a heart attack, Loverboy. And he said most likely your mother as well. Also, apparently, neither my parents nor Buttercup's seemed to have a clue what Shikaku was talking about. Which leads me to believe that Kakashi-sensei was also present at that conversation." 

Shikamaru nodded, "So far, I know this. Kakashi pulled me aside, when he gave me the lube… Anyway, he said that he'd been there as well because… Well, he didn't really explain, but I got the feeling dad was awkward, and that that's why Kakashi was there as well…" 

"That sounds plausible. Although I do not think I like the fact that the man has gotten so tangled up in our business…" 

"Honey, he's been looking out for us, right? And if it took the two of them really such a long time to be able to even touch each other… I think I'm actually a little glad that Kakashi-sensei has taken an interest. But you're right about one thing, he should keep his nose out of our _private_ business," Choji's nose scrunched up a little, the awkwardness he'd felt back in the jounin's apartment fresh on his mind. 

Shikamaru chuckled, "Pumpkin, he wouldn't be looking out for us if he didn't…" 

"Maybe so, but that does not give him the right to scold us. I actually went over to ask the man why he felt the need to bring up… My _previous_ relationship, back in the Jounin Lounge. He told me that I had no right to think about _how_ to tell the both of you if that took a little time. Something I still don't understand. I _would_ have told you…." The Aburame frowned. 

"Sexy… When would you have told us?" 

"I am not entirely sure, it was not the first thing on my mind, obviously…" 

"But you were gonna, right?" Choji sounded hesitantly hopeful, as If he didn't want to believe the other option could even exist, but still couldn't get that same option out of his head. 

"I would, Buttercup. I was a little pre-occupied with the both of you, and then that treasure hunt. But I was thinking about how I was going to tell you all the same." 

"But that's exactly what Kakashi meant, right? We jumped in this with both feet, and I'm not saying I regret that or anything, but… I think yesterday was the first time we actually talked… And, don't take this the wrong way Precious, but… I'm pretty sure it would have taken you a lot longer to talk about _that_ guy if Kakashi hadn't brought it up. And I would have gotten too confused and frustrated with the way he looks at me. I know it made you uncomfortable, and I'm definitely not saying that's a good thing, but… I'm happy we got to know about it sooner rather than later…" 

Shino spoke very softly, almost whispering, "He told me that he could not believe that we trust each other, and that even if we did, that trust was undeserved. Because we have not taken the time to really talk about anything yet. He said that the foundation for our relationship is too shaky…" 

The young Nara leaned back on his hands, a thoughtful look on this face, "Man's got a point… I _do_ trust you, with all I have. But… Sexy… When you weren't there when we woke up… And there was no note or anything…" He stopped talking, fighting against the tears. 

Choji continued, carefully studying Shino's face, "Angelface… We were half-convinced that you'd left us. We didn't want to think about it, but… You were gone, and we had _no_ idea where, or what you were doing…" 

Shino let out a small sigh, removing his hood and sunglasses so his boyfriends could properly see his face, knowing they preferred it that way, "I apologize. I really _did_ believe I would return before you woke up, although I now realize that was the wrong approach as well. However… I felt like I needed to confront Kakashi-sensei, and had to do so alone. I went over to Iruka-sensei's place first, but when it looked like nobody was home, I went over to Kakashi-sensei's. Only then realizing that it his apartment is a lot closer to the Akimichi Complex. I did not consider how much time I'd already taken, since I was really upset with the situation already. I am really sorry, I never meant to worry you…" 

"You did, though… I searched the entire house, the garden, I even walked up to the gate to see if you were on the street somewhere… When Paccun showed up…" Shikamaru wiped at the tears running down his face, "That's when I suddenly realized where you had to be, but by then…" 

"Hun, it's fine if you need to be alone sometimes, or if there's something you need to do alone. But at least leave us a note that you're safe, that you're coming back to us," Choji, too, was crying, "I was so scared… And now, I mean, Kakashi-sensei told us that we may not even be as safe as we thought… I really need to know that you're safe, Shino, please don't ever take off like that again!" He wrapped his arms tightly around the Aburame, burying his face in the crook of his boyfriends neck. 

"Again, I can only apologize. I did not realize," Shino wiped away his own tears, "I promise I will never leave like that again." 

##########...##########

 _Sunday, one-thirty PM, Kakashi's apartment,  
_

The silver-haired man came in from behind, wrapping his arms around his lover, "Hmmm… Smells good, Babe. What are you making?" 

Iruka chuckeled, holding on to the strong arms around him for a second, "It's nothing special, Sweety, just white rice and steamed vegetables in soy sauce. I'm too hungry to waste too much time in the kitchen, right now." 

"Hungry for me?" 

Another chuckle, "That too, but I thought we'd eat something first. We still have the rest of the day off, Sweetheart." 

"Hmmm," Kakashi nuzzled his lover, "You never know, though… And I want you…" 

"Lunch first, sex later." 

The older man smirked, "Yes, sensei." 

##########...##########

 _Sunday, one-forty-five PM, Shino's bedroom,  
_

"We really need to start thinking for ourselves, though…" Shikamaru worried the inside of his lip for a moment, "I mean… I know we didn't walk into the Lounge expecting they were gonna fix our problems _for_ us, but… That's how it ended up anyway. And Kakashi and Iruka-sensei really _have_ been watching our backs. I still can't believe they actually organized a search party…" 

"Me neither, Cutypie… And all that time, we were…" 

The Nara chuckled, "Sexy's just too damn _sexy_ , Sweetcheeks, no-one can blame us for succumbing to temptation," He winked. 

Shino cleared his throat, blushing brightly, "Could we please not bring it up, right now? It is… A little embarrassing to think about what we were doing while they were looking for us. I cannot even imagine what would have happened if they had actually _found_ us…" 

"Depends who found us, I guess… Dad would've yelled, Choza… I think he probably would have been too embarrassed to say anything, right Pumpkin?" 

Choji nodded, "Asuma-sensei and Kurenai-sensei were probably out together, I have no idea how they would have reacted…" 

"Asuma would've gone red in the face, and yelled at us all the way home…" 

"Kurenai-sensei would not have allowed that, Loverboy, though she would probably would have been uncomfortable with the situation as well." 

"Inoichi would've probably laughed at us… I remember this one time when I walked into the kitchen together with the guy, and mom and dad were… – _Gross_ – making out, anyway, and the guy pretty much laughed his socks off when they realized we were there. Kakashi probably would've laughed, too. Given his reaction when we came back… I didn't realize before how relieved the guy must've been. How relieved they _all_ must've been…" 

"Hotstuff," Choji threw an arm around the Nara, "That's in the past, now. We can't change that. We can only make sure it never happens again." 

"I believe we should also apologize. They _did_ go searching for us in the middle of the night." 

"Sexy… I don't think I dare face them…" 

"Why not? Are you not the one always telling us that _we_ are at a loss for words at such times?" Shino had a naughty look on his face.

##########...##########

 _Sunday, three PM, Kakashi's apartment,  
_

"So," Iruka leaned back on his arms, "Think they'll be okay?" 

"So you _are_ worried!" 

"Sweetheart, of course I am. I just think I might have a little more faith in them, not to mention I'm not as perversely curious as you are…" He quirked one eyebrow, a half-smirk on his face. 

Kakashi sat up too, the rumpled bedding forgotten for the time being, "I'm curious, yes. Perverted… Fine, I'll grant you that. But…" He sighed, "It's not like I really _want_ to know so bad. It's just… I worry for them, Iruka. Like I worried for you, at first." 

"I was out long before you, though…" 

"Yes, but when you got involved with me… You're mostly surrounded by the other academy sensei, I'm… I've got Asuma and Kurenai to deal with, not to mention Gai. And Shikaku, of course. I dragged you into my world and… I dunno, I've always known that if I came out, they couldn't really do much about it 'cause… Well," He smirked, "I'm the one and only copy ninja, the man who copied a thousand jutsu. They wouldn't want to fight me, or even stop working with me, because too often their lives have depended on _me._ On _my_ skills. But if I got a _boyfriend_ …" 

"You were worried the jounin would turn on _me_ instead?" 

"Uhuh… That's why I waited so long to ask you out… I heard that you were gay… I think almost two years ago, before that I kinda just… Watched from afar, I suppose. And then, I don't remember who told me… Some woman, anyway, I started thinking about how I could court you. What you would like, if it would be too corny to give you flowers, stuff like that. But… Every time, I kept thinking, what would the guys do? Will they accept him? Could I take him to the barbeque? Would that be bad?  
You know? I just… Worried." 

"Wow, wait a minute, Kakashi," Iruka leaned over, studying the older man's face, "You were _watching_ me? How long? I always thought you'd… I dunno, probably needed _some_ time before plucking up the courage to ask me out, but…" 

Kakashi smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head, "Do you remember your chuunin exams? The time you actually made it?" 

"Yes… Of course I do, but what does that have to do with anything?" The brunette asked quizzical. 

"I was one of the proctors, remember that?" 

"Eh… Vaguely. I was a little pre-occupied with becoming a chuunin back then, it _was_ my third try, after all... Wait, are you telling me _that's_ when you –…" 

The older man chuckled, "Ever since, I stuck around. I was there when you were trying to decide if you would become an academy sensei, I was there when you worried yourself sick over Naruto – Oh, how I _hated_ the brat back then! He kept you so busy all the time… I could never catch you alone anymore." 

Iruka blinked, _He's really been watching me since I was sixteen? Back then,_ _ **I**_ _wasn't even sure if I liked guys… Well, he's a few years older, of course, but…_ "All those years, Kakashi?" 

The silver-haired man nodded, "All those years, Iruka. I wanted to be as close to you as I possibly could, but, at the same time, I didn't know if you wanted that too. So, I kind of just settled for being your friend. But that was too hard on me, so I kept my distance most of the time. Only appearing when I felt like you needed me." 

"But… What? Were you hiding in the bushes or something?" 

"Pretty much… Rooftops, too." 

"But… Kakashi, why didn't you ever tell me? We've been together for almost a year now…" 

He sighed, laying back down, folding his hands under his head as he pulled one knee up, "Love… I was… Anxious. And yes, in light of the fit I just threw over the tree of them not being open enough, that's pretty much unforgivable, but –" 

"Not unforgivable. Never say that again," Iruka lay down beside his lover, on his side, one hand supporting his head he looked down at the silver-haired man, "Of course I would've liked to know sooner, but it's not the same. You can't even compare the two." 

"Maybe," He studied his boyfriend's face for a few seconds, "You know, this is important and all, but… Can I get back to fucking you now?" _  
_

##########...##########

 _Sunday, four PM, Shino's room,  
_

"But we _can't_ take them out to dinner, Pumpkin… Kakashi's got that mask, remember?" 

"Yeah… You're right… I _do_ wonder why he wears it, though," Choji cocked his head, "Maybe he's got a huge scar…" 

"I doubt that would cause the man to hide his face, however, not only did we promise him we would refrain from asking about it – which is the only sure way to know – we also have more pressing matters to attend to, Buttercup." 

"Like how tight my pants feel right now?" Shikamaru pressed himself up against the Aburame, innocent hope on his face. 

Shino softly pushed him away, "We will worry about buying you a larger size pants later, first, we should decide on how we could properly apologize to the people that were out searching for us on a Saturday night. I have no doubt that they had more important or at least more desirable things to do at the time. So we really should put some thought into this." 

The Nara sighed, they'd been at this for hours now, going back and forth between ideas that were discarded as soon as they came up with them. He was fresh out of ideas and completely done with the entire concept right now. Being in the same room as Choji and Shino had never been an issue before, but now he knew what they looked like naked, what they _felt_ like, how they looked when they were fucking _each other_ … He sighed. 

"Hotstuff? You okay?" 

"Yeah… I'm just totally out of ideas, and I don't even want to think about it anymore. We'll come up with something, but… Not right now. We're all tired, we're all still annoyed, and I'm pretty sure we're all horny…" _  
_

"Even so –" Whatever Shino was going to say was cut of my Shikamaru's lips on his own. 

He kissed his boyfriend feverishly, unable to hold back anymore. Placing his hands on the Aburame's chest, he tried to push him down on the floor, but Shino resisted, pushing the Nara away. 

"We do not have _time_ for that," He frowned, straightening his clothes. 

Shikamaru was panting, feeling very rejected all of the sudden. Sitting back on his knees, he too, frowned, "Shino… I just… Please don't push me away like that…" He swallowed, biting his lip. 

The other's expression softened, "I did not mean to hurt you, Baby. But… You are right, I _do_ want you right now. However, this apology is also very important, and we cannot waste too much time before going through with it." 

"Shino is right, Shikamaru… I'm with you on wanting to do something else right now, but…" Choji worried the inside of his lip for a few moments, "We really _should_ make a proper apology. And short of going door to door – what I _really_ don't want to have to live through – we don't have even one single idea that could work…" 

"Damnit! We'll just sent them flowers or something, add a little note, whatever! I don't want to _think_ about it anymore!" 

"And where would we get those flowers, Loverboy? Yamanaka flower shop? Inoichi was part of the search party, do you really believe he would appreciate receiving his _own_ flowers?" 

Shikamaru sighed, slouching down, "Probably not…" 

"Wait a minute, Hotstuff may be on the right track here, after all. Only we _don't_ send them flowers, not all of them. We can send flowers to Kurenai-sensei, and maybe Iruka-sensei as well… Although I think Kakashi-sensei may prefer something else…" 

"What are you talking about Sweetcheeks?" 

"I mean, we don't have to send them all the same thing!" The Akimichi said excitedly, "We figure out what everyone wants _separately_ , and then we add a note to those gifts. See?" 

"That could actually work…" Shino said thoughtfully, "So, who was there yesterday, and what would they like?" 

"We should be able to figure out our dads, Kurenai is easy too, flowers'll definitely do the trick… Inoichi… Hmmm, I could ask Ino what he likes…" 

"Do you think she would co-operate, Shikamaru?" Shino looked a little nervous, "Does she know about the search party as well?" 

"Probably not… Didn't she get assigned to midnight guard duty at the cemetery? Something about doing a mind-transfer on Iruka-sensei…" Choji worried the inside of his lip again, unconsciously reaching for a bag of potato chips. 

"Right… I forgot. So she probably wouldn't know about it, right? So we'll just ask her. Still leaves Kakashi, though… I kind of feel like we should go a little bigger with those guys. I mean, I know he just embarrassed the shit out of us, and Sexy here's still mad, but…" 

"I am not mad anymore, Loverboy. Although I must admit I feel like he could use some lessons on being subtle…" 

"He's never going to learn, Shino… So you can forget about that," Shikamaru smirked, "But that _does_ give me an idea…"


	21. Attempt at payback- failed

AUTHORS NOTE: Iruka's POV – I kinda like it ^.^  
Anyway, let's see if Kakashi can't figure out his boyfriend's 'thing' after all xD 

So Vicky… I'm pretty sure you'll forgive me for not uploading the chapter about the thank-you's just yet, so long as I give you smut. And this, my dear friends, is SMUT. Oh yeah. Gotta love that…

##########...##########

 **Attempt at payback - failed**

##########...##########

 _Sunday, three-fifteen PM, Kakashi's apartment,  
_

His lover was whispering sweet nothings in his ear, all but distracting him from the hand that was wrapped around his throbbing member. Iruka could feel his lover's skillful fingers pushing him closer and closer to the edge, his voice dragging him along toward the unavoidable orgasm. 

It was impossible to keep still, both his body and his voice in sharp contrast to Kakashi's apparent peace. The copy ninja smiled, that soft little smile that usually made Iruka go weak in the knees. Now though, it made him tense up, the last straw for the man who had been trying to stave off his climax for as long as possible. 

His body jerked, a low moan escaping his throat. Kakashi's lips captured his own, swallowing his cries in a sloppy kiss. 

##########...##########

"There you are, Gorgeous," The silver-haired man cooed as he opened his eyes again, still trembling lightly. 

"Hmm… Kakashi… That was amazing…" Still dazed from his recent release, the brunette could only mumble. But his lover understood, placing a soft kiss on his lips, whispering more of those sweet words. There was no real meaning or pattern behind them, but to Iruka, that had never mattered. 

His head started to clear up again, and he pulled Kakashi in for a languid kiss, he always loved these slow afternoons that they spent together. Sometimes talking, sometimes cuddling up to each other and making out a little, sometimes… Sometimes they would be filled with their slow lovemaking, taking the time to enjoy each other's bodies to the fullest. 

It had gotten even better now that Kakashi's mask was gone. No longer was he looking up at a masked face, or staring into almost total darkness. He could finally enjoy this to the fullest, not only hearing Kakashi's sweet words, like he would mutter with the mask on. Not just those soft lips on his, like when they were engulfed in near total darkness together. Iruka finally got both at the same time now, and he couldn't be happier about it. 

"Baby, I love you… You're my sweetness, the cutest… I love you Babe… " 

He closed his eyes for a second, only listening to that gentle voice. A soft moan escaped his lips and his eyes flew open to find Kakashi smiling down at him. 

"Warm, Iruka, so nice and tight… I love you Babe… So soft…" 

His hips bucked as another moan escaped him. He smiled, "Sweety, stop teasing…" 

"I'm not teasing, Iruka…" Innocently, he blinked. 

"Yes, you are… _Ah_ … Sweetheart, this doesn't have anything to do with – _Ah_ , oh god… Hmmm, with earlier, does it?" 

"Hmmm? I honestly don't know what you mean, Love…" 

The fingers that had been teasing him so much disappeared again. So yes. He'd been right. Panting slightly, Iruka tried again, "Sweety, I just… Couldn't resist… Okay?" 

"Oh, I know…" The silver-haired man sat up, calmly reaching for the cup of Shochu he'd set on the windowsill earlier, "Apparently I'm an embarrassed little teenager…" 

After taking a sip, he offered the cup to his younger lover, but Iruka brushed it away, moving to a sitting position as well, "So how long are you going to hold it against me this time?" 

"Oh… You know… " The jounin took another contemplative sip of liquor, "A year or so…" 

Iruka chuckled, "You can't hold back for an entire year…" 

This earned him a sideways glance, the older man looked a little surprised, "Hold back?" 

He chuckled again, taking the cup and tipping it back, "I know you want to get inside me, Sweety, stop trying to pretend otherwise." 

"I'm not pretending, Iruka… I'm stalling," He gave his younger lover a lewd smile, "By the time I _finally_ spread your legs, you'll be begging me to take you…" 

Iruka thought about it for a minute, his hands gliding over his lover's chest. The marks he'd left earlier were still visible, and he shuddered at the thought of how much he must've actually hurt Kakashi. 

"It's _fine_ , Love," Strong hands wrapped around his own, "Don't feel sorry about it." 

"I hurt you…" He frowned. 

A chuckle shook the older man, "Oh, come _on,_ you know I _love_ that… Just… Not the part where you make me cum in my pants again…" 

"That," Iruka smirked, "I _don't_ feel sorry about." 

Kakashi sighed dramatically, releasing his hold on Iruka's hands, "Sometimes I _really_ get the feeling you don't care about me, Iruka," Mock hurt laced his voice, and his face was pulled into a pout. 

The brunette chuckled again, pulling his lover in for another slow kiss. 

Kakashi mumbled into their kiss, more of those little words he loved so much, the mere sound of it making him grow hard once more. And finally, Iruka realized the tactic behind his boyfriend's entire air. He really _was_ going to make Iruka beg. Kakashi had never demonstrated this kind of patience before, and honestly, it unnerved the younger man a little. Pulling back, he cupped his lover's face in his hands. 

"Are you mad at me, Sweetheart?" 

"No… Not really… You went too far, though…" 

"Just because I got your pants wet?" He chuckled again, the memory of Kakashi, flushed and embarrassed fresh on his mind. 

The silver-haired man brushed his hands away, " _Exactly,_ " He suddenly moved, straddling the brunette and pushing him back on the bed, "So now, I'm going to make _you_ beg, it's only fair…" 

Iruka started to chuckle again, but moaned as soft lips found his pulse, sucking lightly.  
The man frowned a little, even though it felt so good. This wasn't a 'thing', as Kakashi referred to the situation he'd put the older man in earlier today; it was a hard line. 

He tried to push him away, "Sweety, stop, don't leave a mark there…" 

"Oh, don't worry Love, I won't," Kakashi moved further down, trailing soft kisses all over his lover's upper body. Drawing out moan after moan from the brunette writhing under him. 

Every time the older man got even remotely close to his boyfriend's erection, he moved back up, making Iruka whimper. 

He was moving his lips down again, and Iruka already braced himself for the disappointment of feeling Kakashi's lips move back up again instead of paying attention to his throbbing member.  
Making him gasp, as suddenly, those hot lips enclosed him. Only to retreat again immediately after. 

He whimpered again, "Sweetheart… _please…_ " 

He was startled as Kakashi's head suddenly shot up, studying the brunette's face, "Already, Babe?" 

Iruka almost chuckled at the apparent surprise on his lover's face, but right now, he was _more_ than willing to beg. If he started laughing, Kakashi would only draw out the torture more, he was sure of it. 

"Yes," He breathed, "Already, just _take_ me Sweetheart, _please_ …" 

"Hmmm? No." 

Kakashi sat back up, comfortably exploring his lover's body with his gaze. Iruka was trembling, this was _not_ how this was supposed to go… 

Kakashi had always demonstrated _zero_ patience when it came to sex. _Yes_ , he'd patiently waited until they were both ready to be so open with each other – Iruka needing a little more time for that than his silver-haired lover – but _after_ that… Whenever Kakashi wanted to fuck, he wanted it _immediately_. 

Which had already been the source of more than enough embarrassment as far as the brunette was concerned. Take for example that night during the treasure hunt – Iruka would've _never_ believed he could ever be so utterly embarrassed in front of his own students, but… Well, he loved him, so Iruka supposed he shouldn't complain about the details too much. Still… 

"So tell me… When did _you_ suddenly learn to be so patient?" 

"Hmmm? I've been trained to keep my patience, Love…" The mild confusion on the other's face didn't fool Iruka for even a second. 

"I mean with _this._ " 

"Huh?" 

Iruka sighed, apparently, his lover was not going to give up. 

Without warning, Kakashi was on him again, straddling him. His long fingers teased the brunettes erection with soft strokes, never touching him long. He could feel his hips buckle as he panted. 

"Oh _god_ … Come _on,_ Kakashi… _Please…_ Please stop this… _Oh, come on…"  
_

Kakahsi immediately retreated, leaving the panting man exasperated. 

"What?" Oh, what an innocent look that man could conjure up! 

Iruka only frowned, unsure how to best phrase his frustration right now. 

"You told me to stop, so I stop, and now you're frowning…" Kakashi pouted. 

Iruka moved to get up, but a hand on the middle of his chest stopped him, pushed him back. Kakashi didn't say a word, didn't even _look_ at the other man, but pinned him down all the same. 

"Sweetheart… _Please…_ " 

"Hmmm?" Again, the older man shot his boyfriend an innocent look. 

"Come _on,_ Kakashi, _fuck me already…_ " Iruka had never thought he'd be begging his silver-haired boyfriend like this, and actually, it was a little embarrassing. 

But he didn't let on about his slight discomfort, suddenly realizing Kakashi might consider it his 'thing', and Iruka was _sure_ , he didn't want Kakashi to believe that. Even if… _Maybe_ … It was _a little_ true. 

"You sure, Love?" There was a small smile on Kakashi's face – he knew he'd won now. 

Iruka closed his eyes for a moment, cheeks burning, " _Yes_ , Sweetheart, I'm _sure._ Now will you _please_ just _do it_ _already!"_ His voice was steadily rising, frustration getting the better of the man. 

"Do what, exactly, Iruka?" 

_Ah… You're playing_ _ **that**_ _game again, eh?_ _ **  
**_"Fuck me, Kakashi, _take_ me, whatever you want to call it, alright?" 

"Hmmm?" 

Iruka sighed, _fine._  
"Screw my eyeballs out, Kakashi…" He pulled a face, this might be _Kakashi's_ favorite line, Iruka had a little more _… Decency_ … 

But Kakashi's face brightened, and he quickly moved. Draping his lover's legs over his shoulders, he teased around Iruka's entrance once more, his other hand busying itself with the lube bottle. _  
_After thoroughly coating his fingers, the older man got down to serious business.

No longer teasing his panting boyfriend, he wasted no time In slipping one finger inside, immediately working up a steady pace. It didn't take long before the second finger slipped in as well, a quick glance at Iruka's face had told him there was no need to bother with adjusting right now. 

That changed the moment Iruka felt Kakashi's third finger entering him. For a moment, the younger man tensed up, squeezing his eyes shut. His body wiggled a little uncomfortably, for some reason he could never really grow used to this part. Two fingers felt fine, albeit a little empty, Kakashi's cock felt _amazing_. But this… If it were up to Iruka he'd skip it, but Kakashi always refused. Somehow going through all the motions was important to him, even though he still refused to explain why. 

After a few seconds though, Iruka relaxed again, sighing. His breath got caught in his throat as he felt Kakashi stir inside him again, and soon enough, the older man was back up to his old pace. 

Iruka knew that no amount of begging was going to change anything now, so he just waited until Kakashi decided that enough was enough. _Honestly, one day I'm going to figure out what this whole third finger thing is about… I don't like it, I don't_ _ **need**_ _it… And still, he insists.  
_

Iruka gasped as Kakahsi's fingers left him again, now came the good part.  
And it _was_ good, amazingly so. He could feel his lover slide inside him, ever so slowly, drawing out the pleasure for both of them, the sensations seeming to go on _forever.  
_

Kakashi pushed in a deep as he could, panting as he rested his hands on either side of the tanned body under him, "This good, Love?" 

Iruka moaned a little, "Perfect. Now for crying out loud, _move!_ " 

Kakashi chuckled, but complied immediately, pulling out almost all the way before thrusting back in, studying his lover's face for a second before repeating the motion, harder this time. 

Iruka moaned in delight at the treatment his lover gave him, "Harder, come on Sweety, _harder_ …" 

A slow smile crept over Kakashi's face, he'd obviously been hoping Iruka would say this. Iruka smiled back, knowing Kakashi would ordinarily hold back for him, the few times when he would give his lover free reign were something precious to the older man. It also meant that he would hardly be able to walk tomorrow, but he'd deal with that later. Right now, he wanted this as much as Kakashi did. 

He could feel strong hands grab hold of his hips, moving his body in time with Kakashi's thrusts.  
 _So there'll be bruises tomorrow, too… I don't care…_

It didn't take long, never did on these rare occasions that Kakashi got his way. Mostly, Iruka wouldn't go along with him because he needed to be able to move freely at work, not wanting his students to notice anything amiss. Which was also why he was so adamant about Kakashi leaving visible marks.  
But right now, all that didn't matter. 

He could feel his lover shudder, moments before his own climax overtook him. Somewhere in the back of his head, Iruka was aware of their unarticulated screams, vaguely wondering what Kakashi's neighbors would think. 

He could feel his lover slip out, moving to lay beside him. They were both exhausted, panting.  
Iruka smiled as strong arms wrapped around him. A soft kiss was placed on his lips. 

"I love you, Babe…" Kakashi mumbled, throwing a leg over his boyfriend, pulling him tighter against his own body. 

"I love you, too, Sweetheart," Iruka smiled, snuggling up a little closer. 

He could feel himself drift off to sleep, only one conscious thought wandering through his mind before his eyes finally closed. 

_I'm_ _ **never**_ _going to let him know just how much he got to me…_


	22. The need to remain strong

AUTHORS NOTE: So I thought I'd go with Shika's perspective here. And since he thinks that Sexy and Pumpkin sound better than Shino and Choji… Let's just suffice to say that I had fun xD 

I hope this wasn't too confusing, although I guess you _could_ consider it a little test, just to see how well you know your stuff xD (and now I'm free-quoting Kakashi *shame on me*)

And, why _yes,_ this is the _second_ smut chapter in row, how _utterly_ gracious of you to notice! ;)  
Hehe, that's what you get for having two couples, right?

##########...##########

 **The need to remain strong**

##########...##########

 _Sunday, five-fifteen PM, Shino's room,  
_

Shikamaru couldn't even _think_ anymore, Pumpkin was straddling him, kissing him feverishly, as Sexy's fingers were moving inside him. The Nara had absolutely no recollection of how this happened, but that was anything _but_ important right now. 

Apparently Sexy wasn't mad at him, that was the last coherent thought he'd had. A while back, that had been… Not that he could remember when... Precious had pushed him away earlier, that still hurt. But now, his fingers were _inside_ the slender boy, moving around, making his head spin. 

It was impossible to focus on the kiss he shared with Pumpkin at the same time, so he didn't, letting the kiss turn sloppy. Right now, Shikamaru had a really hard time believing any of this was even _real._

He felt like he was dreaming, but still anxious, realizing that Precious was getting the Nara's body ready to _enter_ him. That had only ever happened once before, and he couldn't really remember that time. The only clear memory Shikamaru had from then was pain. And that didn't exactly put him at ease right now. 

He could feel his hips buckle, Sexy's touches becoming more and more overpowering. And suddenly, the young Nara couldn't take the suspension anymore, dreading the pain that had accompanied these actions the last time. 

He all but shoved Pumpkin away; he needed his lips free to speak. The other boy was evidently unpleasantly surprised, like _he_ had been earlier, when Sexy had pushed _him_ away.  
Shikamaru swallowed. 

"I'm sorry, Pumpkin…" 

His lover just smiled at him, tenderly moving away, somehow realizing the Nara needed a little space right now. Sexy had also stilled his fingers, not pulling out just yet, but clearly ready to do so as soon as he asked.  
He swallowed again. 

"Sexy… I… Please be gentle…" 

He felt ashamed at how scared his voice sounded, at how it cracked. 

But Sexy didn't seem to be bothered by it, retreating from inside his lover, his tone calm as he looked him in the eyes. 

"Are you anxious, Baby?" 

"A… A little…" He conceded, feeling his cheeks burn. 

"I am sorry. I know I was not careful enough last time. I admit it seemed impossible to hold back then, and I thought I would never again be presented with the same opportunity. I… I was cruel to you, and I apologize for that. If you would rather I didn't –" 

"That's not it!" Shikamaru hastily cut in, "It's just… Last time… It _hurt_ … A lot… And that's really all I can even _remember_ from it…" 

Precious bowed his head, he was obviously feeling the guilt. Shikamaru got up, capturing his lover in a warm embrace. He whispered in his lover's ear, "It's okay now, Sexy. Just… Promise me you'll go slower this time, okay?" 

The other nodded, and Shikamaru swallowed one more time before laying back down. He wondered briefly where Pumpkin'd gone, but as he felt Sexy slip one finger back inside him, all other thoughts were lost on the boy once more. 

Precious did as promised, starting back at the beginning, moving very slowly. Making sure Shikamaru got completely accustomed to the sensation of feeling just one finger inside him. When it seemed that the other felt a bit more comfortable – most likely due to Shikamaru's own panted moans – he wiggled his finger a little, causing the slender boy to gasp. 

"is this alright, Baby?" 

It took a while before Shikamaru was able to reply, his words coming out in short bursts in between his ragged breaths, "Yes… Good… Keep going… 's _good_ … Sexy… Oh _man…"_

He could almost _hear_ the other smirk, that little half-smirk that the Nara loved so much, he _knew_ that it was playing around Sexy's lips right now. He felt the finger move around even more, moaning loudly as Sexy seemed to accidentally brush past a spot that felt _amazing._

"Found it," There was a hint of triumph in Precious' voice. 

Not an accident, then.  
Again, Sexy's finger brushed past that one spot, and Shikamaru's body jerked. 

"Oh, god… _Stop_ … Too… Much… Sexy… _Please_ …" 

The finger quickly moved away again, completely disappearing for the time being. Shikamaru could hear himself whimper, embarrassed by the sound, he scrunched his eyes shut. 

"Are you ready for two, Loverboy?" 

Shikamaru swallowed at the low tone in his lover's voice, the tone he'd only really heard him use with Pumpkin before. It did… _Things_ to his body he hadn't expected. This was even better than hearing him talk to Sweetcheeks like that. For a moment, the exact message of the words was lost on the boy, so apparently, Sexy decided to repeat the question. 

" _Yes_ ," He was a little annoyed that his lover had noticed his weak moment, that he'd felt he needed to repeat the question, so his voice came out almost harsh. Realizing this, Shikamaru hastily tried to repair any possible damage, "I'm ready, Sexy, please… Make me feel even better than before…" 

He'd said it now. But that didn't stop the nerves from kicking in again. As he felt Sexy press against his entrance again, he swallowed hard. But Shikamaru was determined not to show _either_ of his lovers his trepidation. So he managed to conjure up a smirk, hoping they would believe it. 

However, the smirk fell off his lips the moment he felt Precious push through once more. His body jerked, trying to get away, and he could feel his cheeks burn again. 

"It's alright, Cutypie," Sweetcheeks suddenly appeared next to him, stroking his heated cheek. 

Shikamaru swallowed, he hated it that his lovers saw him act so weak. Wasn't he supposed to be the strong one? The one that remained unfazed no matter what happened? He was not supposed to be afraid right now – no, not _ever_. 

Sexy's fingers didn't move, was he waiting for him? That was simply unbearable!  
But, at the same time… He could feel his body trembling, fear coursing through his veins. He shut his eyes tightly, not wanting to see Pumpkin's concerned expression. 

" _Move,_ Damnit!" 

Hiding his fear behind harsh words, Shikamaru felt like the most terrible creature ever. There he was – _obviously_ scared – and Precious was just trying to be gentle, like he'd asked him to. And now, apparently, he was acting up again. Being callous towards his lovers.  
Shikamaru was angry with himself, and ashamed. But Precious did as instructed, and all of the sudden he couldn't recall his previous train of thought. 

It felt strange, but not all together bad. Slightly awkward, but at the same time –  
He gasped as Sexy brushed past that special spot again, not recalling what he'd been thinking before.  
Shikamaru had no idea how long this went on, every time he started to gather his thoughts again, Sexy would brush past _that_ spot, and he would forget what he was thinking about all over again. 

Eventually, the movement inside him stilled. And he whimpered, _again_.  
This _had_ to be the most embarrassing day of his _life_. 

"Baby, do you think you're ready for one more?" 

He could only nod, too scared his voice would try to pull tricks on him again – like shaking, or cracking, or just not coming out strong enough. Or even worse; _not at all._

Slowly, ever so slowly, Sexy pushed back in again, stilling – not _even_ half-way in, as Shikamaru whimpered, almost cried out. 

"It's okay, Hotstuff, it's alright, take your time… We love you, we don't ever want to hurt you. It's alright…" 

Pumpkin went on and on, but Shikamaru wasn't listening anymore, too embarrassed to even _pretend_ anymore. He was almost crying, but managed to stave off the tears. _  
_

_No way,_ _ **no**_ _way I'm gonna let them see me cry over something like this! No way! I am_ _ **not**_ _that weak. It's not even painful, I just got startled, but they'll think I'm crying because it hurts. I_ _ **know**_ _they would think that! But… I'm supposed to be the one who can deal with_ _ **anything**_ _, right? If I'm not that… Then what? Why would they need me then?  
_

He bit his lip, hard enough to draw blood, but didn't even notice the ruby drop sliding down his chin. Nor did he notice Pumpkin's soft hand as he brushed said drop away from his lover's face.  
Shikamaru was struggling to find the words, to get his message across without being cruel _again_. But as things stood now, he wasn't even sure he was going to be able to speak at all. What if they heard the tears in his voice? What if that made them think he was weak? 

_No!_ _ **Never!**_ _  
_"Move, you – just _move_ , Shino!" 

_That was wrong… I shouldn't have called hi –_ " _Ah_! Oh, _god! Fuck, fuck,_ _ **fuck!**_ _Oh god… Don't_ _ **stop**_ _!"  
_

His sudden outburst had apparently startled his lover, causing him to still once more, just when Shikamaru had decided he _liked_ this. But his whiny demand had gotten across just fine. Even if, inside, the Nara winced at the needy tone. 

Precious' pace picked up again, every now and then hitting that weird spot that made him feel so good. Precious seemed to know exactly when he needed to hit it, brush past it, or leave it alone. It baffled the boy. Laying on his back, this was the most exposed he'd ever felt. But he wasn't given time to ponder the fact, because every time his mind started to wander, he would be pulled right back to the here and now. 

He could hear himself panting, moaning. Was that weakness, too? Would they think that? The thought briefly crossed his mind before Precious took all thoughts away from him again. 

"Angelface, stop for a moment, okay?" 

The movement inside him stopped, and Shikamaru began to worry again. Was Pumpkin concerned again? Had he thought Shikamaru was in pain? That he was weak? 

Soft lips brushed past his own, "Hotstuff, do you think you can take him now?" 

Anxiety flooded his system once more, but he couldn't show it, closing his eyes, the Nara nodded instead. 

"You can take your time, Baby, there's no rush." 

_Stop babying me! I'm_ _ **not**_ _weak!  
_ "No… Please, Precious, stop worrying… I _want_ you inside me." 

_I do.. I'm scared that it'll hurt again, but… I want to feel you… And I want to get this over with.  
_ He felt a wry smile tuck at the corners of his mouth, but refused to let it show. 

He could feel his legs being lifted, shivering as the entirety of the situation suddenly dawned on him. There would be no way back now. And it was gonna hurt. He was _sure_ it was gonna hurt again. 

Sexy calmly placed his legs over his own hips, sliding closer. Shikamaru knew that his lover _had_ to feel the tremors shaking his entire body, feeling the shame over such a cowardly thing creep up once more. But soft hands stroked his hips, easing him. He bit his lip again. 

_I was supposed to be the strong one… How come I'm so damned_ _ **scared**_ _…?_

"Calm down, Baby, I will not do anything you don't want, I promise." 

_Damnit!_ "I _want_ this, okay! Stop acting like I'm some damned _coward!"  
Okay… Now I __**really**_ _feel like crying… Why did I have to go and_ _ **say**_ _that?! I was supposed to be strong…  
_

"I do not think you are a coward, my love." There was a little hurt in Sexy's voice, making Shikamaru wince. 

"We'd _never_ think that, Cutypie… You're just a little anxious right now, that's okay, I was too… You're not a coward, not at all." 

Shikamaru squeezed his eyes shut, trying to ban out the concerned voices, but they simply kept going. 

"Baby, I would never think you were a coward. You are strong, and I love you for it, but that does not mean you are not entitled to be a little apprehensive every now and then. I hurt you last time, I did not intent for it, but it happened nonetheless. If anything, your current trepidation is _my_ fault." 

"No, it's not," Shikamaru couldn't take this anymore, "Stop talking, Sexy, and start fucking me. _Right now."_

Through his eyelashes, he watched as Precious threw Sweetcheeks a questioning look, and saw the latter shrug. 

He heard Sexy sigh lightly, before moving. 

He felt something press up against him, and gasped. Trembling in fear. 

Pumpkin stroked his face again, but he brushed the hand away. His gesture almost coming off as angry. 

Gripping the sheets, he waited for the pain to come. 

But Precious moved away from him, and soon his fingers were back inside him, two of them. Softly stroking inside him, finding _that_ place without a hitch. 

Sexy didn't speak and neither did Sweetcheeks. Shikamaru bit his lip to stay still as well. Sure he would cry out in frustration over his own weakness if he allowed himself to even make the slightest sound. But Sexy's attentions were well-directed, and he gasped, moaning at his lover's touch. 

"You need to relax, Loverboy. I will not go any further unless you relax. Because if you do not, it _will_ hurt, and I do _not_ want to do that to you again." 

He barely caught the words, Sexy's soft tone all but drowned out by his own panted moans.  
He could feel the tension build up in his body, and, as such, missed Precious' finger's slipping out again. Though he _did_ feel a lot calmer now. 

Sexy apparently intended to make use of this fact, as he immediately pressed up against him again, easily pushing through Shikamaru's now relaxed entrance. 

His body jerked as he cried out, tears of shame stinging in his eyes. But it wasn't pain that had caused his body to jolt. He opened his eyes, hoping to find his voice. But soon found that unnecessary, as Precious smiled at him. A knowing look on the boy's face. 

Shikamaru took a couple deep breaths, trying to steady himself, "That's… Oh, god…" He could hear himself moan again, but this time, it didn't bother the young Nara anymore. This felt good, and his lover's were finally allowed to _hear_ that, the pleasure being conveyed through his soft moans. 

Precious stayed still inside him for a long time, simply smiling. Pumpkin, too, was watching him with a smile on his face, studying the Nara as he tried to get used to this strange sensation. 

Unconsciously, he moved his hips a little, moaning even louder as Sexy shifted inside him. Sexy leaned over, causing another moan to escape his lips. 

"Do you want me to move, Loverboy?" He whispered against his lips, before kissing them softly. 

"Uhuh…" He nodded, didn't care if he sounded or looked childish anymore. 

After all, he was on his back, his arms above his head, resting on the pillow, while his legs rested atop Precious' hips. And Precious was not only leaning over him, he was also _inside_ him… 

_Fuck appearances…  
_

Carefully, Sexy rocked his hips a little. And Shikamaru could hear himself cry out again. Sexy's thought-stopping half-smirk had returned again, and he repeated the motion. 

"No… For _real,_ Precious, come on… Don't… Just…" He didn't know how to phrase it, didn't want to accuse the other of babying him again, even though that was _exactly_ what it felt like. 

He'd watched Pumpkin pound into Sexy just yesterday, and they'd clearly both enjoyed that. Shikamaru couldn't stand the thought of being the only one they had to be cautious with. 

But Sexy moaned, panting above him as his hips kept moving, "I will… Just give me a minute… You feel so _good_ , Loverboy…" 

_This isn't about being careful with me? No, it's about Sexy_ _ **liking**_ _this…  
_

Sexy moved back up again, slowly, as if he'd liked to keep doing whatever it was that he was doing with his hips that made Shikamaru feel so good. He felt his lover slide out, just a little, before softly sliding back in, moaning as he did so. 

He slid out further the next time, and pulled almost completely out before his third thrust.  
Shikamaru heard himself cry out, moan, pant and curse. He didn't care anymore. Pumpkin's hand wrapped around his member, matching Sexy's pace. 

It proved too much for the Nara, the anxiety, the fear he'd felt before, the fullness and the building pressure he felt now – he cried out once more, screaming as he climaxed.  
He didn't even notice Sexy's orgasm, didn't notice Sweetcheeks was licking his fingers off. 

His vision went black as he arched his back, screaming for all he was worth.

##########...##########

"Oh my god, you're so _loud_ , Hotstuff," Sweetcheeks giggled, placing a soft kiss on his cheek as he opened his eyes again. 

Shikamaru was still panting, unable to speak. He felt completely drained, and as Sexy dropped beside him, panting as loud as he was, he gave him a slow smile. 

Finally, he found his voice again, "Never stop doing that, Precious…" 

He watched his lover chuckle breathlessly, not yet ready to answer him with words.  
It didn't matter anymore. He _was_ strong, strong enough. And together with these two, he really _could_ handle everything. He rolled over, climbing over Pumpkin's round form so he and Precious could share him as a pillow. 

Laying his head down, he sighed, "Mmm, my private little Carebear…"

##########...##########

 _ **A/N:**_ _I started this chapter at… ten PM or so I guess? It's now three-twenty-five_ _ **AM…**_ _I'm tired… -.-  
But also happy, because… I dunno, this chappy makes me happy :D  
As I'm sure at least __**some**_ _of you are aware of by now, I just_ _ **love**_ _exploring the vulnerable side of these guys… And Shikamaru was the one I'd never explored before. Choji has his body insecurities, Shino is scared to get caught, and apparently… Shikamaru thinks he should always remain strong for the other two, I actually think it's kind of sweet… :)  
_

_Now I only have Iruka left… Hmmmmm *Puts on thinking cap – or rather, grabs a smoke…*_


	23. Thank you

AUTHORS NOTE: This and the chapter after this were originally one, but it was so _long_!  
So I cut it. Deal with it. 

Also, EbonyRiddenSoul, the whole convo about the pet names? Lol, but I'd _just_ written that when I read your review about the pet namesxD  
And I just had too many chuckles writing this, let me know your favorite part!

##########...##########

 **Thank you**

##########...##########

 _Monday, five-fifteen PM, Outside Iruka's apartment,_

"So… We're really doing this?" Shikamaru swallowed, "Besides, we're not even sure if they're actually _here_ …" 

"Are you getting cold feet, Loverboy?" Shino teased his boyfriend, easily slipping an arm around the Nara, pulling him tight against him for a second. 

Shikamaru opened his mouth to answer, a light frown on his face, but was startled as suddenly the door opened. 

"So I _did_ hear someone!" Iruka winked at them, before calling over his shoulder, "You're getting deaf, Kakashi! Shouldn't you start thinking about retirement soon?" 

"Oh, _shut up,_ Iruka! Just because _you've_ never found a single grey hair… Jeez, it's _genes_!" 

Iruka chuckled, motioning for the three to come in, "He's feeling a little… _Old,_ right now…" 

"Well, he _is_ ," Shikamaru winked back at Iruka, making sure the man inside the apartment could clearly hear his words. 

Kakashi appeared in the hallway, hands on his hips, an amused scowl on his face, "Shikamaru Nara, you care to repeat that?" 

"Sure," He looked the older man straight in the eye, "You're old, Kakashi," He smirked, "But Iruka-sensei's old, too, so…" 

The silver-haired jounin chuckled, softly shaking his head as he walked back into Iruka's room, followed by his boyfriend and their guests. Sitting back down, he pushed aside his empty cup, "Any reason in particular you three showed up? Or are you just gloating at your our apparent old age?" 

"No, we have a reason," Choji pointed to the cushions, "May we sit?" 

"Go ahead, can I get you something?" Iruka was already moving into his kitchen, nodding as the three thanked him. 

"Babe! More Shochu?" 

"I'm pretty sure you've had _plenty_ , old man," The brunette reappeared for a brief moment, winking at his lover, "How about you stick to tea?" He pointed his thumb at the boys chuckling at the table, "We have guests, you know. Or are you getting so old that you'd already forgotten? Do I need to change your diaper later, too?" 

He said it so innocently, the three heirs had to hold on to each other for support, sure they would topple over from laugher otherwise.  
Kakashi just sighed, muttering something under his breath. 

"Fine, young one, give me tea then," He chuckled, "And I'm gonna need a sponge bath later!" He called after the disappearing back. Looking back at the boys, he chuckled once more, mumbling, "I never thought we'd be this comfortable around the three of them…" 

"Why not? 'Cause we're stupid kids?" Shikamaru managed to sound somewhat serious again, "Cause we thought about that, and… Well, we're still kids, but you're right." 

Kakashi smiled softly, "Not that I actually meant for you to hear that… But I'm glad we managed to get through to you all the same, thanks Love," This last part was directed at Iruka, setting five cups of tea down on the table, together with two small bowls, one filled to the brim with Arare, the other equally full of Amanatto. Kakashi pulled a face at the sweets, he'd never liked fried or sweet things very much. But this was Iruka's apartment, and his boyfriend definitely _did_ like these kinds of snacks. 

Iruka smiled at his lover's reaction, knowing the older man only had healthy snacks at his own place, "Sweety, I'm not forcing you to eat it or anything…" He chuckled. 

"You'd probably have to tie me down first, anyway, to what do we owe the pleasure of your unexpected visit?" He looked across the table again, Choji was already happily munching away, while Shikamaru smirked at the boy, softly shaking his head. 

Shino, too, shot the Akimichi an amused look, before turning to their hosts, "I hope we did not disturb you by showing up unannounced." 

"Not at all, Shino," Iruka smiled at him, "We were really just chatting, don't worry about it. But I _am_ a little curious, too. You didn't exactly seem too happy about us yesterday…" 

"I was not. However, we talked it over later. And I've come to realize that, even though I did not care much for your approach, you were right." 

"Like I said," Shikamaru jumped in, "We thought about it. And about some other stuff as well…" 

"Oh?" Kakashi raised his eyebrows, "Like?" 

Choji hastily swallowed, "Like we should thank you. Not just for yesterday… Although that too, I guess –" 

"Choji, that might be taking things a bit too far…" Shino interrupted his boyfriend dryly. 

"Shino, don't go overreacting again…" Shikamaru sighed, "They might not have been the friendliest bunch yesterday, but honestly, the guy thought we knew all that stuff already, so…" 

"I did, and instead of you thanking me, how about I apologize? Because I really should. I'm sorry I was so hard on you yesterday, _especially_ you, Shino. I didn't just _cross_ the line, I went way over it. And I'm really sorry about that." 

"It is alright, Kakashi-sensei, and honestly, Shikamaru was right. I overreacted. But that is not why we're here, right now," He looked over at the Nara expectantly. 

Iruka shot Kakashi a look, the jounin seemed as perplexed as he was. Especially when Shikamaru didn't say a word, instead picking up his tea, pretending not to see the expectant looks both his boyfriends were giving him. 

"Shikamaru… Weren't you the one who said –" 

"I _know_ what I said, Choji, stop throwing that back in my face, will ya…" He sighed, "You guys figure it out this time around… I've decided I'm only gonna deal with parents and sensei…" 

"Eh, Shikamaru…? Then what are we?" There was a smile on Iruka's face, and it carried through his voice. 

"I dunno… You figure it out…" The Nara said almost grumpily, hiding behind his teacup. 

Shino shot Choji a look, clearly trying to decide who was going to speak up if Shikamaru refused, and suddenly Kakashi got a little worried. Was something wrong? They didn't seem to be in sync today, something that hadn't happened before as far as he knew… 

Choji must've caught the confusion on his face, because the boy suddenly looked him straight in the eye, "You shouldn't worry so much about us, Kakashi-sensei," He offered a shy smile, "It's just… Shino, okay with you if I…?" 

"Go ahead," The Aburame nodded, picking up his own tea. 

"Right, we needed to find a way to thank everyone, because honestly, we had _no_ idea how much trouble we caused. But it proved… Difficult. That was, until Shikamaru got annoyed," He chuckled, "Somehow he always manages to come up with the perfect plan if he gets frustrated enough… At any rate, you were all out there looking for us, on a Saturday night, while I'm sure there were other things you had planned on doing. So… We wanted to say thank you, and apologize." He stopped, looking over at Shikamaru again. 

The Nara shifted uncomfortably, "Yeah… So, we got you guys something," He slid an envelope over the table towards the two men. 

They looked at each other for a moment, baffled.  
Iruka gingerly stretched out his hand, taking the envelope, but not opening it yet, "You guys… That wasn't necessary, you know…" 

"True… And we basically took the easy way out with everyone else, I mean… Yes, they were out there, too, and they deserved an apology at least, with at little thank you. So we sent some flowers around – " 

"And chocolates, and for some weird reason we went looking for a bug…" Choji cut in. 

Shino chuckled, but didn't say anything. So Shikamaru continued, "But you guys have done so much more for us, so… We already cleared it with Lady Tsunade by the way, you just have to pick when and she said she needs to know at least three days in advance…" 

"Eh…" Iruka turned the envelope around in his hands, "What…?" 

"Just open it, Babe… It'll probably make more sense, then…" 

"Right…" He turned the envelope around again, opening the flap this time. Pulling a pale blue piece of paper out, "What the…" 

Kakashi peered over his shoulder, and the three watched his eye widen considerably, "Are you kidding me…" He breathed. 

"Nope," Shikamaru chuckled. 

"An entire week at the best onsen in the entire Land of Fire…?" Iruka looked up, exasperated. 

Shino smiled back, "We thought you might need a little vacation after having to deal with us for… It's only been a couple days, hasn't it?" He blinked in surprise. 

"Time flies, Precious." 

Shino gave the Nara a look. 

"What? I can't use the other one, right? Don't tell me I have to start using your _name_ again, that's just _boring_ …" 

Shino smiled at him, "I guess I can live with _this_ one, then…" Looking back at the two – still baffled – men across the table, he smiled even wider, "Does it surprise you that much?" 

"Actually, Shino… Yes?" Kakashi looked up, "I didn't even expect a thank you… Didn't think that was even necessary, you see… But _this_ …" 

Iruka looked up as well, "Thank you," He said softly. 

Shikamaru scoffed playfully, " _No_ , that's what _we're_ saying. Don't say it back, or we're gonna have to top that one again… It'd be way too troublesome…" 

The two men looked at each other again, clearly at a loss for words. 

"Now _this_ is new," Shikamaru teased softly, "Neither Kakashi nor Iruka-sensei knows what to say… Has that ever happened before?" He looked at Shino, inviting him to play along. 

The Aburame conjured up a wicked grin, "I believe I have not yet witnessed it… Thought that _could_ be because I am just a _stupid_ _kid_ …." 

"I… I'm really sorry about that, Shi–" 

"Don't bother, Kakashi… He's pulling your leg. Shino's sense of humor is a little… _off_ ," Shikamaru chuckled, "But, I'm happy we got this one right. Shall we?" 

He looked over at his boyfriends, obviously intending to leave. 

"No, stay… You haven't even finished your tea, yet…" Iruka still sounded a bit dazed, but purposely put the voucher back into it's envelope and put it aside. They'd wonder about it later. 

Choji smiled at him, "We didn't mean to impose, Iruka-sensei. You've already spent so much time on us. I'm sure that lately, you haven't even had a full day just with the two of you…" 

Kakashi chuckled, "We'll make up for that, no worries. Apparently we've got a whole week… And it's not like either of us has a problem with you being around. Actually…" He trailed off, deciding he didn't know how to finish the sentence. So, instead he weaved his little sign so he could calmly drink his tea. Sort of hoping they would forget the way he'd inadvertently steered the conversation. 

But Iruka wasn't so easily embarrassed, "What Kakashi was _trying_ to say was… It's kind of nice not being the only odd couple anymore," He winked, "In fact, you're _odder_ ," He cocked his head, smiling at the three blinking teens, "That came out wrong… I didn't mean anything by it." 

"We get it, you came out as two guys together, and we upped the bet a little," Shikamaru chuckled, "Honestly, we really _are_ the odder of the two couples. And _we're_ still teenagers." 

"Imagine how shocking we might be by the time we reach old age like you two have," Shino delivered stoically, earning him a stunned look from the silver-haired man. 

"Right… Shino's _incredibly_ dry sense of humor… I gotta get used to that…" 

"Who knew? Sweety, you're jutsu is fading…" 

"Right," He quickly pulled up the mask before anyone could determine anything through the fading fog. Then undid the jutsu, "Wait a minute… You _must've_ noticed that earlier… Was that… A _distraction_?" 

Shikamaru smirked, "You said we couldn't _ask_ about it, you never said anything about waiting for the jutsu to fade away…" 

"Shikamaru had already determined the time span of your jutsu yesterday. So we decided that if the chance were to occur, we would just wait it out," Shino smiled at them, wickedly. 

"You… That's… _Not_ _fair!_ " Kakashi managed to squeeze out. 

"Why not? We're just pitting genius against genius here. Sure, ours might be a little less experienced, but Hotstuff's a strategist, you're a battle type," Choji smiled smugly. 

"Eh… Choj…?" Shikamaru bit his lip nervously. 

"What?" Blinking, the Akimichi looked at his boyfriends, both of which looked back at him, evidently a little unnerved. 

" _Hotstuff_ 's what…" Kakashi chuckled, "You kind of messed up there, Choji… Not that it's an issue as far as _I'm_ concerned…" 

"Nor me, but apparently you're boyfriend's got some concerns about it…" Iruka, too, chuckled, "Is it really that different from what we call each other though?" He turned to his lover. 

"Hmmm?" The silver-haired man leaned back on his hands, "Ours are… Less _personal_ … I suppose, though I think not many people would dare call me sweet," He raised one eyebrow, giving his boyfriend a look that showed his amusement. 

"You _are_ though, hey wait! That's probably why you don't eat sweets… It'd be a sugar overdose!" Iruka looked incredibly happy with his conclusion. 

"And you say you have to get used to _my_ sense of humor, Kakashi-sensei?" 

Kakashi chuckled, "I've been with Iruka for almost a year, Shino. You… I've never really gotten to know. Like Iruka said earlier, I don't usually pay much mind to other people. Not unless they spark my interest, and unfortunately, I'm easily bored," His eye crinkled as the jounin laughed out loud. 

Shino was taken aback, no-one had _ever_ heard Kakashi Hatake actually laugh out loud before. Well, Iruka-sensei probably had, but he was most likely the only one. The young Aburame was pleasantly surprised by the sound, accidentally letting his thoughts slip, "You should laugh more often." 

Kakashi calmed down a little, still chuckling, "Like I said, Shino, easily bored. There's not much to laugh about… Though I doubt _you're_ ever going to bore me," He burst into laughter again, it was contagious and soon the others followed suit. 

##########...##########

Finally, Iruka wiped his tears away, taking a few deep breaths to calm himself again, "But…" He drawled out as the others slowly calmed down as well, "Now I'm _unbelievably_ curious… If 'Precious' is the _other_ one…" 

Shikamaru replied before Shino had a chance to stop him, "He's sexy, so I call him Sexy," He shrugged, amusement at both the reactions of the other couple and Shino clear on his face. 

"Shikamaru… _Fine_ , have it your way, Nara. Or should I say _Loverboy_?" 

The other shrugged again, as the two men on the other side of the table chuckled in awe over the cuteness of their pet names for each other, "You could. I'll respond to either." 

Smirking, he looked over at Choji, the Akimichi was blushing bright and it was clear that neither had brought _his_ pet names up for fear of embarrassing him even further. 

"Shikamaru… No, _Cutypie_ ," He smirked back. 

Again, Kakashi doubled over laughing, "The others… I could see… But, _seriously?_ " 

Shikamaru chuckled, pointing his thumb to his right, where Choji sat, "Pumpkin, Sweetcheeks, Carebear," Then, pointing to his left, "Precious and Sexy." 

Choji leaned over a little, first pointing at Shikamaru, then at Shino, "Hotstuff and Cutypie, and that one's either Angelface or Honey." 

" _Angelface?!_ " Iruka laughed now, too, "Where did _that_ come from?" 

"Apparently they like it when I remove the sunglasses…" Shino blushed a little. 

Kakashi wiped away his tears again, still chuckling, "I'm almost afraid to ask…" 

"You'll not see it. Not unless _you_ remove the mask." 

"Are you daring me, Shino?" 

"I might be…" 

Kakashi shook his head, "Fine then, never mind…" 

"Scared?" The Nara cut in, leaning his arms on the table, "Think he's gonna be hotter?" 

"Trust me, Shikamaru, I've seen what's under there, it's not possible." 

"Oh? _Really_? Now _I'm_ getting unbelievably curious…" 

"Ooookay…" Kakashi slowly got up, walking over to the kitchen, "Let's point this conversation in another direction shall we? Shino has his glasses, I have my mask. Let's just keep it at that." 

He returned, Shochu in hand, "Besides…" 

"Besides what?" Iruka frowned, confused. 

"Well…" Kakashi drawled out, and suddenly, his boyfriend caught his drift. 

"You _wouldn't!_ " 

"Only fair… _Blowgod,_ " He chuckled, his cheeks a little pink. 

" _Whatever_ , Sexvoice, don't think you've got the upper hand here! And give me that bottle, you've had enough…" 

Kakashi looked over at their three quests. They were obviously more than a little surprised. 

"I could go on, you know…" He drawled again, "Like –" 

"No, you _don't_. In case you forgot, they're _teenagers_." 

"And _you're_ just embarrassed," He poured himself a drink, only to have both cup and bottle snatched away from him, "Aw, _Babe_ …" 

"That's better," Iruka sighed, studying the tree young faces across the table, "Look, eh…" 

Suddenly, Shikamaru smirked, "Yeah, _real_ cute…" 

"I believe we could assume the correct term to be _accurate_." 

"Hun, I really don't think I need to know you're assumptions at this point…" 

Kakashi looked up, interest roused once more, "Hun? I didn't hear that one earlier…" 

Shikamaru shrugged, "It goes back and forth between the two of them. Hun, Honey… Apparently they can't come up with anything a little more… Descriptive." 

"Like Pumpkin? I know I'm kind of rounded out, but…" Choji chuckled. 

"I would never say that, Sweetcheeks, you know that." 

"And it makes you the best pillow one could dream off…" Shino raised one eyebrow, taking care not to show Choji his expression as he was clearly waiting for some kind of response. 

For a brief moment, Kakashi wondered what the Aburame was waiting for, but his question was quickly answered. 

"Pillow? Don't you mean _mattress_? First thing I have to do when I wake up is get the both of you _off_ of me again!" But he smiled, it wasn't hard to see that he didn't mind being used as a bed one bit. 

"Then don't feel so comfortable…" Shikamaru smirked, "Or you could always dump _him_ on the floor… More room…" 

"Right…" Iruka caught on, "You probably all have single beds…" 

"Loverboy has a double… But that's still not really enough room…" Shino blushed a little, unintentionally giving away that he wasn't just talking about _sleeping._

"Tight squeeze…" Kakashi chuckled, "I still have a single, too. But with two of us, it just about still fits." 

"Only because you're such a snuggler," Iruka nudged his boyfriend gently, before tipping back the cup of Shochu Kakashi'd poured for himself. 

"Aw, Babe, don't say you don't like it," The man pouted. 

Choji looked at Iruka, a wry smile on his face, "Just be grateful that's just _one_ … Especially when you consider that Hotstuff can't lie still for a second, and Angelface is a blanket hogger." 

Iruka chuckled, "Oh, I've given up on blankets a long time ago, Choji… He kicks them off the bed…" 

"You're plenty warm, don't complain…" 

"Who said I was complaining, Sweetheart?" 

" _Oy_!" Shikamaru suddenly called out, just now realizing what his boyfriend had said, "I lie still! It's Sexy who keeps trying to push me off…" 

" _No_ … We've shared a bed before Angelface joined us, remember?" 

"Wait, what?" Kakashi looked surprised, "Did I miss that one?" 

"No," Shikamaru chuckled, "It's… Weird now… In light of recent events," He looked over at Shino uncomfortably for a moment. 

The Aburame cocked his head, "Why would it be weird, Loverboy? Your best friend stayed over regularly. Although… Now you _fuck_ him…" 

Choji turned bright red, trying to hide that fact by taking a sip of tea. 

"No… That's not the weird thing, Precious… It's weird I…" He shot a look across the table, shrugging, "What the hell… Weird I never got a boner from lying next to him back then." 

"You did, though… Me too…" 

"That was the, eh… Morning thing, Pumpkin." 

"No… I remember we talked about that once…" Apparently, Choji had decided he was going to disregard his blush, "When I was in the hospital, remember? When we had that conversation that later suddenly never happened?" 

The Nara leaned back on hands, thinking for a few moments, "Oh… _Right_ … That was the most awkward part, so I pushed that one away even further…" 

Kakashi cocked his head, not sure if he was allowed to butt in here, but still _very_ curious. He accidentally caught Shino's look, the Aburame nodded at him.  
That was permission, right? 

"So you _did_ talk about this prior to the drunk fucking?" 

Shikamaru froze, Choji turned even redder, hiding his face against the Nara's shoulder. 

"Eh… _Sort of._ Kakashi… How much do you know about the drunk fucking part…?" 

The silver-haired man chuckled, "You first. Unless you really don't want to, I mean, it's not really any of my business, I know that." 

"No… It's okay," Choji had let go of Shikamaru again, not lifting his gaze up from the table as he spoke, "After the… Sasuke rescue mission," He risked a glance at the copy ninja, the man _was_ emotionally involved here. 

But he only nodded, not showing any signs of discomfort, so Choji continued, "Anyway, when I came out of surgery… I was completely high on the painkillers," He chuckled, "I only remember about half of that conversation, and that's only because I kept replaying it in my head afterwards. Undecided between trying again or never saying another word about it. But… Back then… When I thought I was gonna die…" He swallowed, the memories still hard on the young man. 

Shikamaru threw an arm around him, pulling his boyfriend close. He placed a quick kiss on Choji's forehead, making the other blush again. 

"Anyway… I wanted to think of a goodbye to everyone, but only my parents and these two came to mind… And later, in the hospital… I told Shikamaru that. And he said he felt the same," He smirked up at his lover, "And that you _always_ woke up with a boner when you slept next to me, and that you only could…" Blushing again, he stopped talking, staring at the table. 

Kakashi chuckled, "I get it… So you seriously could only talk about this either high on drugs or completely sozzled? No _wonder_ …" 

Shikamaru looked confused, "No wonder what?" 

"I kind of heard the whole story that Yoshino told Shikaku… And I gotta say, Shikamaru… You're mother is _pretty_ descriptive… So… No wonder you guys got so… Let's call it _rowdy_ , shall we?" 

Shino calmly placed his cup back on the table. Straightening himself, he serenely folded his hands in his lap. His voice the pinnacle of tranquility as he stated, "I believe this has just turned into the most awkward conversation that I have ever been a part of." 

Kakashi laughed again, throwing his head back as he did. When he calmed down, he snatched the Shochu back, pulling down his mask to drink it straight from the bottle. Almost choking on his chuckles as he heard the surprised gasps from the other side of the table.  
Wiping his mouth with his hand, he handed the bottle back to Iruka, who immediately placed is as far away as he could without getting up. 

After calmly pulling the mask back up, as If nothing happened, Kakashi looked over at Shino, "Relax Shino, I never told anyone else. And I advised Shikaku to keep the… _details_ of that night between himself and his wife as well." 

But it was clear the Aburame couldn't recall what they were talking about just a minute ago, "Kakashi-sensei… You just… Did you not?" 

He only chuckled again, comfortably resting his head on Iruka's shoulder. 

Shikamaru threw an arm around Shino, giving him a comforting hug as he said, "I'm _so_ sorry, Sexy… Kakashi wins the hotness contest." 

"I do not care," Shino frowned, untangling himself. His hand reached up, the action halted by the jounin's voice. 

"You don't have to, Shino. It's not an obligation in any way shape or form. I just…" He chuckled, "You three kind of put me at ease… More than I'm used to from anyone but Iruka. And… You deserved as much. Besides, I felt like pulling your leg just a little, I've never seen so much shock on three faces at once before. Just don't go spreading the word, okay?" 

"Of course not!" Choji sounded surprised, "Why would you think we would _do_ that?!" 

Iruka wrapped his arm around his boyfriend, "He's a little self-conscious about the whole thing, don't ask anymore, okay?" 

The teens nodded, watching Kakashi retreat into his lover's embrace a little.  
Shino reached up again, calmly throwing back the hood, before unzipping his shirt down to his chest.  
Smirking as Kakashi's eye widened, "It is not an obligation, Kakashi-sensei. I am not bothered by it as you are. Although the light is very bright…" He squinted behind his glasses, most likely preparing himself for the vivid rays of sun to come. 

Kakashi immediately jumped up, drawing the curtains most of the way, thus filtering most of the sunlight. There was now but a narrow beam of radiant light, behind the three teens. 

"Thank you…" He removed the glasses, eyes still closed for a moment as he set them down on the table. Then he looked up, his dark eyes trained on the copy ninja's face, "This is what apparently prompted Buttercup to come up with a name like that…" 


	24. Relaxation equals TMI

AUTHORS NOTE: Relaxed Kakashi! I had _so_ many giggles xD 

What made you laugh? Tell me! Inquiring minds want to know... 

Also… I'll be taking requests for Kakashi and Iruka's one week onsen stay. Seriously guys, let's just call it another plotbunny challenge… The best idea(s) will make it into the story, so let's _all_ wreck our brain trying to come up with the best possible ideas. And just to be clear: Smuttyness _will_ (obviously) occur, but if you have another idea… Just pitch it. Either in the reviews or by dropping me a note ^.^  
Oh and… please be a little creative, I mean, _of course_ they'll be fucking in the bath… ;) 

Also, I am uploading as a thank you to caramelkitten, because seriously, reviews make chapters magically appear. Also… They make me write. And I need to write, because currently… I have no more chapters waiting. Lol, sorry to disappoint people, but I seriously do not have a buffer at this point… I kind of got sucked into writing for Hidden Feelings, lately and… Well. I'm working on the next chapter like, literally _right now_ , but… Yeah… Review, and help me write, will ya?! :P

##########...##########

 **Relaxation equals TMI**

##########...##########

 _Monday, six-thirty, Iruka's apartment,_

Kakashi stared down in those deep dark, _hypnotizing_ eyes for a few seconds, "Put them back on, Shino… That's…" He closed his eye, only opening it again when a soft sound indicated that Shino had complied, "How do you two look into those eyes and not completely lose yourself?!" 

Shikamaru snickered, "They're gorgeous, what're you on about?" 

Iruka blinked, "Dazzling… Hypnotizing even…" 

The Aburame's face was one big smirk, "It's genes." 

"Thank god I only got the hair… Seriously, that's a damned _weapon_ you've got there!" 

"It is not. As I cannot safely remove my glasses when there is direct sunlight. Furthermore, lamplight often hurts as well, so…" 

"Angelface…? You never said that before… Did we…" 

"It is alright, Choji. I would not have removed my sunglasses if it was too painful." 

Kakashi chuckled, nudging his boyfriend, "So Love, who wins the contest according to _you_?" 

The brunette let out a quaky breath, "Shino… Definitely Shino… But I'm glad I've got your face instead of his eyes," He smiled, giving the silver-haired man a quick peck on covered lips. 

Choji immediately averted his gaze, intending to give the two a little privacy, but as Kakashi frowned lightly, he realized it backfired. 

"Choji," The man asked softly, "Does it bother you?" 

"No…" 

"Pumpkin, you tried to turn away when I kissed you, too…" 

"It's just… _private_ , right?" The Akimichi looked confused. 

"Personally, I'd say _private_ is me fucking Iruka… Him kissing me, especially as chaste as that… I don't really see the problem. But that's different for you, isn't it?" 

Choji worried the inside of his lip for a little, looking down at the table, "I suppose so…" 

Shikamaru smiled at him, "You're just you, Sweetcheeks." 

Iruka chuckled lightly, "And _I'm_ just getting hungry… Are you staying for dinner?" 

Shino looked up, the surprise clear on his face. 

Kakashi burst out laughing again, almost falling over on his back. His boyfriend steadied him, a confused smile on his own face. 

"Shino, you… You should see your _face_ right now!" The copy ninja eventually squeezed out. 

Both Shikamaru and Choji immediately looked over at the Aburame, he'd gotten even more surprised by now, but they didn't see anything that could have prompted Kakashi's hilarity.  
Out of nowhere, Iruka chuckled. 

"Sweetheart," He drawled out, "Are you finally starting to understand what it's like to suddenly see facial expressions?" 

Kakashi just beamed at him, eye-crinkle and all, before toppling over anyway.  
Iruka just shrugged, telling the three to ignore him and repeating his question about dinner. 

"Sure, if you'll have us, right?" The Nara looked at both his boyfriends, seeing them nod, he turned back to Iruka, intending to thank him for the offer. But a sudden thought hit him, "We should tell our parents, they shouldn't have to worry about us anymore…" 

Iruka gave the three an easy smile, "Wow, I'm proud of you…" He turned to Kakashi, poking him a couple times, "Sweety, hey, _Kakashi…_ Sweetheart, we _get_ it now… Come _on_ ," He all but whined, "We need Paccun…." 

The silver-haired man sat up, still chuckling, "Fine, okay I get it now… You didn't mean to say I looked _weird_ without my mask, right? Just…" He suddenly sounded a little insecure. 

"No, sweetheart, that's not what I meant," The brunette sighed, "Like I already told you a hundred times before… Just _seeing_ you was weird, to me at least… Just, get Paccun over to the Nara, Aburame and Akimichi complexes okay?" He got up, "I'm gonna get started on dinner…" 

Rolling his eyes at the teenagers, he walked off. 

"Sorry about that… I just never realized…" 

"So, was that how Iruka-sensei reacted when you showed him your face for the first time?" 

"Eh… No, Choji. That was actually… I dunno, I told him the whole story behind it, so he kind of reacted to that… He, eh… Said it was weird the first time we had sex without the mask on or the lights off…" His voice trailed off as he didn't look up, instead fiddling with his leg holster.  
He muttered under his breath, "Damn… Empty… Must've forgotten to refill after I washed them…" He shot a look up, cheeks pink. 

Shrugging, he pulled the mask down again, revealing a bright blush. Ignoring that, the jounin bit his thumb. Then bit it again. And again. Muttering to himself how he wasn't used to this crap, he bit again. Still nothing. 

Across the table, all three of them were chuckling by now. Shikamaru lazily pulled a kunai from his own leg holster, "Need this?" 

"Ah, yes… Thank you, Shikamaru," He gingerly stretched out his hand, taking the offered item. After that, he quickly summoned his trusty pug, wiping the kunai on his pants before returning it. 

"Oy, Sweetheart… You did _not_ just do what I _think_ you did, right?" 

"Huh?" 

"I _hate_ it when you get your clothes all bloody… Who's gonna be the one rinsing and scrubbing again? Seriously, Sweety, get a towel or something…" He sighed, turning to the boys to ask if there was anything they felt like eating today. 

All this time, Paccun had been studying his master, only speaking up when Iruka was about to disappear into the kitchen again, "Say Kakashi… Where's the mask? I've never seen you without before…" 

"Ah, well… You're not always here, Paccun…" He rubbed the back of his head a little uncomfortably, "It's… Let's just say I don't need it so much anymore… Anyway, could you please run over to the Nara's, the Akimichi's and the Aburame's and tell them their kids are with me? And that I'll personally see to it they get home safe? Whichever one that is…" 

Paccun studied Kakashi a little longer, "You're going to tell me the whole story next time, right?" 

"Eh… Sure." 

"Good, because otherwise this'll be the last time I help you out. Unless you're about to get killed again, I like you to much to let you get killed… You three," He turned his attention to the baffled teenagers, "Anything in particular I need to tell them?" 

"I don't think so…" 

"Nah, dad'll get the message…" 

"I believe that my mother will accept your message as is, thank you though." 

Paccun turned back to Kakashi, "How come the Aburame is the only one with the proper manners to thank me?" 

Kakashi smiled a little, "I honestly don't know Paccun, they just get worse with every generation, I guess. Now, please?" 

"Fine," The pug huffed, before walking over to the door Iruka held open for him. 

Kakashi chuckled, "Paccun is old-school, don't let it bother you, though…" 

"I won't," The Nara suddenly grinned, "There's something I was wondering about, though…" 

"Oh? Ask away, I guess…" 

"Iruka-sensei complains about blood on your clothes, about you drinking, he's the one that always prepares the tea, sets out snacks, and apparently, he cooks as well… What the hell do _you_ do?" He smirked, obviously curious. And, a lot less obvious, wondering if he'd gone too far. 

Kakashi noticed that, and quickly put the boy at ease, "It's fine to ask, Shikamaru… Basically, we divide the chores, though… It's just that, yesterday… I got pretty worked up. Iruka's more level-headed so he automatically took over where I slipped up. Today _was_ actually my turn to cook dinner, he cooked yesterday, but, honestly… He likes to cook a lot more than I do," He chuckled, leaning over to whisper, " _Especially_ if gets the chance to show off…" 

"And yet," Iruka suddenly appeared in the doorway, "Kakashi's the better cook. Go figure…" 

"I happen to prefer _your_ cooking…" 

"Because you're _lazy._ " 

Kakaksi wiggled his head a little, "There's that…" 

Iruka chuckled along with the three teens, winking at them he walked over to Kakashi, "I actually just came to get the Shochu away from you…" 

Suddenly, the silver-haired man moved quickly, grabbing the bottle and jumping back from his boyfriend, hugging the liquor tight, "No, you're _not_ getting it!" He chuckled, " _Mine_ , Iruka." 

The brunette sighed, looking back at the three on the floor helplessly, "If he becomes too much of a handful, just… Knock him out or something…" Softly shaking his head, he turned back into the kitchen muttering, "And he calls _them_ kids…" 

Kakashi burst out in another belly laugh, "Victory!" He almost skipped back to the table, calmly setting the bottle back on the floor and picking up his tea. 

"Seriously?" Shikamaru chuckled, "You make all that fuss, and then return to your _tea_ …?" 

"Seriously. It's all about fucking with Iruka. Eh… You know what I meant right? Anyway, he pulled something on me yesterday, and I'm gonna get him back for it," He beamed at them. 

"So this entire display is… Payback?" Shino asked incredulously. 

"Pretty much… I'm gonna drive him crazy today. Decided so last night. So far, I've annoyed him by looking for grey hairs, gotten him worked up about my apparent drunkenness and… Oh yeah, this morning I hid all the papers he was supposed to return to his students today. He's _never_ going to find them," He winked, "Still… All he has to do is apologize!" He suddenly called towards the kitchen. 

"Never in a million years, Kakashi!" Iruka's voice drifted back to them, "I'll find those essays myself!" 

Kakashi grinned wide, "Never gonna happen, Love!" 

"Trust me, I'll find them! They're probably in your apartment somewhere!" 

Kakashi whispered conspiratorially, "Nope…" 

"Where'd you hide them?" Choji asked in a hushed tone. 

"Sure you're not gonna tell on me?" 

"Course not! Come on…" 

Kakashi chuckled, pointing at the bookcase. 

"No way!" Shikamaru whispered excitedly, "You didn't!" 

Kakashi just chuckled some more before taking another sip of the shochu. 

##########...##########

 _Monday, seven-fifteen, Iruka's apartment,_

"Honestly, if Kakashi's the _better_ cook, I kinda wish I could eat with you guys everyday…" Shikamaru blissfully took another bite from his gyudon. 

"Thank you," Iruka bowed his head modestly, "It's really just a quick meal, though…" 

"It's still delicious," Choji beamed between two bites. Happily munching away, he didn't look up again. 

Shino laughed a little at the Akimichi, they always took their food so incredibly _serious_. 

"Actually…" Kakashi drawled out… I hadn't thought about that… Stupid!" He slapped himself on the forehead. 

"Sweetheart? I thought we discussed the violence during dinner thing… What did you think of?" 

"I offered to pay a month's worth of restaurant dinners, right?" He watched them nod, Choji way to excitedly for his taste right now, "I _should've_ said I'd _cook_ for them… Way cheaper, Iruka! Now I got to take that _stupid_ diplomatic mission to that _stupid_ Hidden Stone Village… _Stupid, stupid,_ _ **stupid**_ _…"_

"So, the bills starting to come in already?" Shikamaru chuckled, this was just too funny. 

"One more chuckle and you three are paying half!" He _almost_ managed to sound annoyed. 

"Very well, we will just pay for Choji, then," Shino said stoically. 

"Hey! The girls were talking about that fancy new place, right? That's _way_ more expensive then my barbeque! You get an entire meal there for the prize of one of their appetizers!" 

Kakashi visibly paled. 

Shikamaru felt sorry for the man, "Again, Kakashi, my boyfriend's sense of humor is a little… _off_. Both of them really… So, eh… What does that say about me, exactly…?"

"That you're a pervert," Choji smiled sweetly, looking over at Kakashi to see if he was getting some color back on his cheeks yet. 

"Why was _I_ a pervert again? That one, _he's_ known for it. Why me?" 

Shino mumbled something, obviously enjoying himself. Shikamaru asked what he'd said, and had to repeat his request about a dozen times, eventually _demanding_ an answer before Shino finally looked up, innocently looking at the Nara. 

He pointed, "Voyeur." 

"Hey wait, that's not – Okay… So what? _Exhibitionist_ _._ " 

Iruka smiled, almost laughing at loud at the look on Shino's face, "And that would make Choji…?" 

The Akimichi looked up for a moment, swallowing before he replied, "A willing participant." 

This time, Iruka couldn't hold back anymore, laughing loudly, he forgot all about his food for a while.  
Kakashi quirked one eyebrow, his troubles forgotten, too. 

"Did I just _really_ hear what I _thought_ I heard?" 

"There's three of us, what'd you expect?" Shikamaru blushed a little, he'd all but forgotten about the curious copy ninja. 

"Oh, I dunno…" The man leaned back, placing his chopsticks down as he was done eating.  
He calmly pulled his mask back up, evidently more out of habit than anything else, "A little double penetration action maybe?" 

He watched in awe as the three blushed simultaneously. Looking over at his, now calm again, boyfriend, he found Iruka blushing, too. 

"What?! Is it so weird? There's _three_ of you… Oh, now _I'm_ the pervert again, I see how it is…" He scoffed playfully. 

Shino cleared his throat, trying to catch his lovers' eyes. When neither looked up, he cleared his throat again. 

"Shino… I know what you're thinking… And I'm not exactly stopping you, am I?" Shikamaru picked up his chopsticks again, pretending to eat, but really, his attention was focused on Shino. 

Choji had stilled, carefully placing his chopsticks on the table, as he stared up at the ceiling. 

" _Ah_ ," Kakashi chuckled, every bit the perverted copy ninja everyone thought he was in this moment, "So it _did_ happen…" 

"In a way… Though, I was fairly drunk at the time," Shino smirked, "So the memory is a little vague." 

"I'd say, try again," The silver-haired man had a hard time keeping his face in check, then realized his mask was back on, relaxing into the comforting knowledge that his face was hidden from the world anyway. 

" _Maybe_ …" Choji sounded thoughtful, "I don't really care for repeating the sake part of the night, though…" 

"Pumpkin, they're _obviously_ talking sober…" 

Iruka smiled at the Nara, "Oh, I don't know, drunken sex can be pretty good sometimes," He looked over at his boyfriend who was suddenly clutching the Shochu bottle again, "And sometimes… Just getting _one_ drunk is even _more_ fun…" 

"Think you're getting your way tonight?" 

"Keep drinking, Sweety, and I will…" Looking around he noted the empty bowls all around, "Anyone up for seconds?" 

Even Choji declined, too interested in the conversation to care about food for the time being. He watched Shino get up to help Iruka out, and smiled at the customary way he did so. 

Kakashi winked at the remaining two, taking another swig of the bottle, "What Iruka _doesn't_ know is that he's actually never seen me drunk before…" 

"You're _faking_ it?" Shikamaru was exasperated. 

"Being drunk, yes. The other thing, _never_ ," He took another sip, "Never needed to…" 

"Eh, Kakashi-sensei… Are you _sure_ you're not getting tipsy?" 

The jounin looked quizzical, giving Choji a questioning look, "Why?" 

"Because even for some bothersome pervert, you might be disclosing a little much…" 

Kakashi chuckled, "I'm not getting tipsy, Shikamaru, I'm just… Relaxed. Doesn't happen very often, not around others anyway. Is it too much?" He asked, serious all of the sudden. 

"No, just… Unexpected," Choji blushed again, remembering everything the man had said already today. 

"Ah… Well, I _did_ say I'd talk about pretty much anything, didn't I? This is… Proof of the matter, I suppose…" He chuckled again, "Besides, I can see you two storing every little detail in your memory to take it out and study later," Winking, he took another sip. 

"Well, you're basically begging for it." 

"Oh I didn't say I _minded,_ Shikamaru… If anything, it's probably a good thing. You three need to learn to relax a little… If you blush even half as much when it's just the three of you as you've been doing today… _Well_ …" 

"Loverboy does not usually blush as much, Kakashi-sensei. I am actually happy that there is at least _someone_ who can get to him," Shino walked back in, followed by Iruka. They were carrying another round of tea. 

"Ah… Need some pointers on that one?" Kakashi chuckled again, causing his boyfriend to shake his head in surprised amusement. 

"Even after all this time, you still manage to surprise me, Kakashi…" 

"Really? Good. I _like_ surprising you." 

Iruka smiled fondly, "I noticed…" Looking over at their younger counterparts he explained, "I'll wake up to find flowers on the table, or a note telling me to be ready to go by seven. Sometimes he'll just show up after work, flowers in hand. Or chocolate…" He chuckled a little, "I think I might've snatched up one of the most romantic guys in the entire village…" 

"And they call me a pervert… Tsch," Kakashi pretended to scoff, "Anyway, it's _fun_ to surprise you, you always look so cute…" 

Feeling another blush creep up, Iruka decided it was high time to change the subject, "So, who's place are you staying at tonight?" 

They looked at each other, going back and forth for a while, not speaking a word. Eventually, Choji complained, "But… He's _scary_!" 

"Buttercup, my father is not even _home_ right now…" 

"And mine definitely is. And I _don't_ want to face the man. And since _you_ keep insisting your place is out…" 

"But… They're still there! They _never_ leave before midnight at _least_ …" 

"So that leaves Shino's." 

"But…" Choji pouted. He was pretty much out of arguments at this point, but still refused to give in so easily. 

"Choji… Is it because that is where…?" 

"Shino… " The Akimichi sighed, "I guess…" He looked down at the table, not daring to face his boyfriends. 

Kakashi couldn't bear it anymore, "Guys, what're you talking about?" He kept his tone even, soft. It wasn't actually curiosity that drove him to ask, it was concern for the young Akimichi. 

Shikamaru and Shino exchanged a look, trying to catch Choji's eye as well. But he didn't look up.  
The Nara sighed, unsure how much he could say without Choji's explicit permission. 

But the decision was taken out of his hands as their plump lover spoke softly, still not looking up, "That's where we went that night the treasure hunt ended. And honestly, we were all dead-tired. But…" He shot the two men a shy look, "That didn't really matter… So… I guess I was too tired after all. I don't really know what else it could've been. Or maybe…" He looked at his boyfriend's asking for permission. The both nodded, leaving it up to him how much he would share of that night. 

"Maybe it was just because… The time before, I was too drunk to really care, I guess… But I sort off… People have been pointing at me all my life, calling me chubby, or fat even. And… I just… I got tangled up in my shirt, and I couldn't see them, but they could see me and all of the sudden all of that came back to me and I couldn't deal with it and it was horrible…" 

He took a deep breath, trying to calm down again. Looking up at the couple sitting across from him briefly, he saw only compassion and mild interest on their faces. It helped him calm down considerately. 

"Anyway… They kind of helped me through it, but…" 

"We were at my house yesterday, though. Did that bother you?" 

Choji softly shook his head, "Yesterday… We didn't…" 

"We don't _have_ to, Sweetcheeks…" 

"I _want_ to…" 

Kakashi had to physically bite back a chuckle, did they even realize he and Iruka were still here? 

Shino shot him a knowing look, the expression on the Aburame's face mirroring his own, "Buttercup, I'll leave the decision up to you. However, if we _are_ going to my house, we should leave soon. My mother has a nasty habit of locking the doors from the inside when my father is out of town…" 

That pretty much concluded the evening, as Choji quickly decided that, _fine_ , it would be Shino's house tonight. 

As they got up to leave, so did Kakashi, chuckling as he felt their questioning looks, "I _did_ make Paccun promise in my name that I would personally see you home safe. So I'm walking up with you, like it or not," He gave another eye-crinkling smile before leaning over to give his boyfriend a quick kiss, "I'll be right back, Love." 

Iruka held him by his flack vest with one hand, using the other to pull down the mask to kiss his lover on uncovered lips. 

Choji, immediately shifted his gaze, followed by the other two as the kiss deepened for a moment.  
Somehow catching their discomfort though, Kakashi quickly pulled away, "Later, Babe. I'll be right back." 

He pulled up his mask again. Walking over to the door, he motioned for the three to follow him.


	25. Insecurities

AUTHORS NOTE: Here's the next update ^.^ Sorry it took a while, I know that reviews are supposed to make chapters magically appear… But, unbeta'd chapters don't really fit in, now do they? And since it would be a bad idea to do Beta at 3 AM… Yeah, so, sorry about that. Especially since yesterday I couldn't even _touch_ the laptop, seeing as I was gone for pretty much the whole day. 

I _would_ sincerely like to thank **Jaz** for being the first to reply to the onsen-plotbunny challenge. Message received and thrown onto the 'consider' pile, and that's all I'll really say about that ;)  
Anyway, you're _all_ welcome to give me your thoughts on the Kaka/Iru goes onsen thingy, let's see what _your_ dirty minds can come up with. Cause seriously guys, you _have_ dirty minds, if you didn't, you wouldn't be reading three clans ;)  
So, I'd love to hear from you, my trusty readers – and yes, that _definitely_ includes the lurkers, too! It doesn't have to be smut, if you have another idea, like maybe a topic you'd want them to cover, let's hear it. I will be taking these prompts until they leave, only I have _no_ idea how many chapters that will be. With this story, I _never_ know how many chapters something is going to take ^.^

##########...##########

 **Insecurities**

##########...##########

 _Monday, eight-fifty-five PM, Konoha Streets,_

"So… 'Buttercup'? What else, Shino? I never heard yours…" Kakashi smiled at the boy walking next to him. 

"He kinda said them all, though, you just weren't paying attention…" Walking in between Shino and Choji, Shikamaru smirked. 

"Aw, come on… I'm sure I've missed a couple… You seem to have so _many_ …" 

"Then how many do you have?" Choji leaned over for a moment, looking at the silver-haired man on the other end of their line. 

"For Iruka? Babe, Love… You really shouldn't hear the rest according to him _, buuut_ … Hmmm, Blowgod, Tightness… I call him Tease, too, for quite obvious reasons… I think the rest is _totally_ out, though…" 

"Tigh- uh… Do I even _want_ to know…?" 

"I dunno, Shikamaru, you tell me," The older man chuckled, "Although you really _should_ be able to figure it out… So, Shino?"

The Aburame softly shook his head, muttering under his breath, " _Tightness… That's just dirty…"_ Clearing his throat, he looked up, "Loverboy and Baby, Buttercup and Honey or Hun. I do not do _descriptive_ as much…" 

"Let's hope not, otherwise 'Baby' would just sound mean," Kakashi chuckled again. 

"Fine then, you've heard ours, how does Iruka-sensei call _you_?" Shikamaru's tone was a little too curious, or so the copy ninja decided, at least. 

"Sweety, Sweetheart… If you ever repeat any of those we're going to have a problem… Hmmm, you've heard 'Sexvoice,' again _, no_ repeating that…" 

"What _else,_ Kakashi-sensei?" Choji chuckled. 

"Fine… I'll give you _one_ more, and then we're moving away from the subject…" He worried the inside of his lip for a moment, trying to find one that wasn't too embarrassing. Unfortunately, the only pet name that currently came to mind was… "Fine… He calls me an embarrassed teenager… Not really a pet name, but…" He pulled a face. 

"Is that why you're mad at him?" 

"I'm not mad, Shikamaru, just… Okay, yeah, I'm a little annoyed…" He sighed softly, "Not that it's any of your business, it's a little too… _Personal_ …" 

"Alright, we get it," Shikamaru bit his lip for a second, "Kakashi, can I ask you something?" 

"You can ask me _anything_ , Shikamaru. Although is some cases I might refrain from answering…" 

"Yeah… But, you see, I've been wondering… Why did you decide to… I think you called it 'screw yourself over' just to help us with, you know, telling people…?" 

"Ah…" The older man's tone was soft. He stopped walking, dropping himself against the nearest wall, hands deep inside his pockets, "That's…" He sighed, looking up at the stars that had started to appear. 

"I just… Know how hard it can be, how hard it _was_ for Iruka and me. I guess… I wanted to spare you the pain, so… I figured a distraction would help. And that was… Honestly, that was the only plan that I could come up with…" 

"But… You were so nervous…" Choji sounded hesitant. 

"I was. Even more so than I let on. But… Like I said, I wanted to spare you the pain. Telling them like that, just dropping the bomb, I know it startled you. But… At the same time, there were no misunderstandings, like there were with Iruka and me at first. You know, people remarking how close we'd gotten as friends, and then joking if I'd ever, you know…" His voice trailed off for a moment, and the copy ninja sighed. 

"Anyway, there were no misunderstandings, and then I immediately distracted them again, so that they wouldn't have the chance to ask further questions. I figured that by the time the treasure hunt was good and over with, they would not only have found something else to talk about but also… Well, you wouldn't be the only ones anymore, I suppose. And honestly… I started the set-up for the whole thing months ago, I was just… Scared." 

"Thank you…" Choji's tone was soft, "It worked even better than you thought it would, for _us_ at least…" 

"What do you mean?" 

"We kinda heard about Ino's little stunt with the mind-transfer jutsu…" Shikamaru worried the inside of his lip for a moment, "Inoichi was _so_ pissed…" 

Suddenly, the older man chuckled, "Nothing compared to me, I'm afraid… Even _Iruka_ got angry with them… But that was just…" He sighed softly, "We had some troubles too, that night… I… I intended to show Iruka my face for the first time, but… I just," He shrugged a little uncomfortably, "I couldn't go through with it. He understood, but… Still... Anyway," He chuckled again, "Next morning, Ino pulls a stunt like _that_ … I haven't seen Iruka get so angry at anyone in my _life_. Wouldn't shut up about it… It was actually kind of cute," Pushing off the wall, the copy ninja started walking again, "We're almost there, right?" 

"We are," Shino came to walk next to him again. 

"Right… So, can we please call it topic closed?" He sounded hopeful, a deep sigh escaping the man. 

"I never meant to make you uncomfortable by asking… I'm sorry." 

"It's fine, Shikamaru, I'm really not angry or anything. It's just… Usually, Iruka and me are pretty much in sync. But that kind of changed during and right after that treasure hunt. So I don't really like to think about it too much…" 

"But now you're annoyed with him…" Choji threw the man a questioning look. 

"Ah, well, you three didn't exactly seem in sync today, either, though…" 

"Correct. Loverboy apparently gets uncomfortable when it comes to personally thanking someone…" 

"Do _not!_ " The Nara sighed, pushing his hands in his pockets, "Okay, maybe I do…" 

"You're just you, Hotstuff." 

"And you do not need to always be the strong one." 

"I know…" 

Again, the copy ninja suddenly stopped walking, "Wait, what? Shikamaru… Did you really believe that? That you have to stay strong all the time, take care of them all the time?" He studied the young Nara intently. 

Shikamaru looked away uncomfortably, biting his lip. Choji shot him a worried look, obviously wondering whether or not it would be okay to hug his boyfriend right now. Shino sighed, also looking at the Nara, "Baby…" 

"Can we maybe close this topic, too?" Shikamaru asked in a small voice. 

"I… Shikamaru… Look, if you want _me_ to butt out, I will. But… This _is_ something that the three of you should discuss. And from what I can tell, you haven't really done that yet…" 

"No…" 

Kakashi leaned over a little, trying to look the Nara in the eyes, but he wouldn't lift his gaze from the ground, "Shikamaru… Is this... Is it something that came up during sex?" 

The dark head bobbed, barely noticeable. 

"Alright… That _is_ when we're at our most vulnerable, should be at least. So it's not so strange, but…" 

"I know… Can we just go now?" 

Kakashi sighed. _They'll just have to learn to work through these things. I can give them guidance, but that's about it. And if he doesn't want me to interfere, I won't. Not with this, at least. This is something they can and should figure out for themselves.  
_

"Alright. Let's go."

##########...##########

 _Monday, nine-fifteen PM, Konoha Streets,_

After dropping the teens of and making a little small talk with Shino's mother, Kakashi walked back to Iruka's apartment. 

_They'll be alright, right? Sure. They'll make it, it's not just naiveté on their part anymore, they're actually_ _ **working**_ _on their relationship, now. Makes me pretty proud, actually. And happy. They deserve it. Seems my little fit was good for something, after all. Even though I really_ _ **did**_ _go too far. And then they show up with a thank-you like_ _ **that**_ _…  
_

The copy ninja smiled behind the mask. _  
_

_I never in a million years thought there'd ever be even_ _ **one**_ _person that I would be so comfortable around, but now I've not only got Iruka, but those three as well… Amazing…  
And that coupon… Un-_ _ **fucking**_ _-believable… Well kids, we'll make the best of it…  
_

##########...##########

 _Monday, nine-twenty-five, Iruka's apartment,_

"Ah, there you are, Sweetheart. They home safe?" Iruka called from the kitchen. 

Kakashi moved to stand behind his lover, wrapping his arms around the younger man as he rested his chin on his shoulder, "They're safe, Shino's mom _thanked_ me…" 

"Hmmm? Is that so weird? You walked the three of them home, didn't you?" 

"Yeah…" The silver-haired man moved back, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head, "I'm not exactly used to people… _Talking_ to me, I guess… Apparently they think I'm unapproachable or something…" 

Iruka turned to face his boyfriend, "Well, you _are_ a living legend, after all. And it's not like you've tried so hard to make friends over the years…" 

"No…" A dirty grin crept over the copy ninja's uncovered face, "I was too busy stalking _you_ …" 

Iruka wrapped his arms around his lover, whispering in the older man's ear, "You _dirty_ pervert… I love it." 

Pressing himself tight against the silver-haired man, he moved his hips a little, softly moaning as he rubbed himself against Kakashi's leg. 

"Hmmm… Babe, now who's pulling the dirty moves?" There was a small chuckle in the man's voice. 

"You just feel too good…" 

Kakashi swallowed, feeling his own pants tighten rapidly, "Even better without all these clothes in the way, Babe. What do you say?" 

"Mmmm, _yes_ …" 

##########...##########

 _Monday, nine-forty PM, Iruka's apartment,  
_

"Ah, you feel so good, Babe…" Kakashi rocked his hips a little, holding his lover tight against his own body, his arms wrapped around Iruka as the younger man sat on his lap. 

The brunette smiled, moving up a little, before moving back down, hearing the older man moan softly, "I love you, Kakashi, you feel so good inside me, I love you." 

The silver-haired man clung to him with an almost desperate need; the need to be close outweighing everything else right now. Iruka had seen it before, felt his lover clutch him like this before. It was one of Kakashi's moods, one he could never quite figure out. As far as the chuunin knew, there was never a clear reason for them, one moment Kakashi could be playful or downright horny, and the next… 

"I love you too, Iruka, I love you so much…" Tears strained the man's voice as he mumbled against his lover's neck, "Please don't ever leave me…" 

##########...##########

 _Monday, nine-thirty-five PM, Shino's room,  
_

"Kakashi-sensei, seemed really upset, didn't he?" Choji had set himself down on the bed, looking at his lovers with a worried expression on his face. 

"He did… However, it is not our right to butt in, I suppose…" 

"But Honey… He was there for us, wasn't he?" 

"He meddled," The Aburame's voice sounded harsh, then, softer, "But you're right… Still, that does not give us the right…" 

"Sexy," Shikamaru pulled his shirt of in one fluid motion, " _They're_ the adults, what in hell's name do you think _we_ could possibly do for _them_?" _  
_

"I am not sure… Though I'd like to help the man if I can. He seemed… Incredibly sad about something…" 

"Yeah…" Shikamaru bit his lip, "But he's not gonna tell us what's eating at him, and I don't want to pry too much, either. So… There's not really anything we can actually _do_ …" 

"I realize that as well… Though right now, I must admit I have other things on my mind," He shot the Nara a naughty look, "I intent to find out if we cannot draw more of those amazing sounds out of you, Loverboy." 

He moved quickly, pinning the other against the wall, kissing him hungrily. He could feel Shikamaru's hands tugging at his hair, his body pressing up against him. Shikamaru's moaned into the kiss, but suddenly pushed his lover back a little. 

"I'm sorry about last night, Precious…" 

"Don't be, you did nothing wrong," He regarded the Nara with a questioning look, "Do you still feel anxious about it?" 

"Not really… Though I think… Maybe… Take it a little slow with me?" He bit his lip nervously, shyly looking away. 

"Cutypie… That's nothing to be ashamed about, you know that, right?" Choji got up, walking over to his two lovers. 

After giving Shino a quick kiss on the cheek, he turned his attention to Shikamaru, letting his hands wander the Nara's bare chest as he spoke once more, "We love you, we love everything about you. And that means that we also love that little piece of Shikamaru that hides away, because it thinks that it's wrong to show any weakness. But you see, Hotstuff, it's not even a weakness, it's just you." 

Shikamaru blushed, unsure what to say now, but that didn't really matter as Choji's lips covered his own in a languid kiss. 

Shino took a small step back, enjoying the view as Shikamaru usually did. Cocking his head slightly, he wondered why a sight like this seemed to excite his boyfriend so. Not that he disliked seeing his boyfriends kiss, not at all. But unlike the Nara obviously experienced at such occasions, Shino did not feel anything stir in his pants, simply at the sight of the two.  
 _I believe I would like to… Investigate this a little further…  
_

Taking another small step back, he put his hands in his pockets, indicating that he removed himself from the equation. As he watched the two break apart, panting ever so slightly, he caught Shikamaru's eye. 

The Nara slowly let his gaze wander over his lover, noting the posture that clearly stated that he did not intent to actively participate, "Are we switching perversions now, Sexy?" He asked playfully. 

A slow smile crept over the Aburame's face, "I believe I would like to _see_ how things _look_ from your point of view, Loverboy." 

"Hun… That was the lamest pun, _ever_ …" 

Shikamaru chuckled, before wrapping his arms around Choji, pulling the boy in for another kiss.  
He kissed hungrily, grinding against his boyfriend. The kiss soon grew sloppy as per Shikamaru's plan, but right now he couldn't exactly remember the plan… Something about showing Shino how _fucking sexy_ it was to watch two people make out… 

Shino simply stood, watching. He loved watching the love between them, but Shikamaru's ploy was completely lost on the boy.

##########...##########

 _Monday, nine-fifty-five PM, Iruka's apartment,  
_

Kakashi was still holding on to him desperately, rocking his hips ever so slightly. Iruka found himself wondering more and more about what had driven his lover into this state. Sure, it'd happened before, but… Never for this long. A quick look at the clock told the brunette that his lover had been clutching him for about fifteen minutes now, mumbling about how much he loved him, and how he never wanted Iruka to leave him again. It was starting to really worry the younger man…


	26. The sounds of Shikamaru

AUTHORS NOTE: *sigh* I'm always unsure at what point to end my smut… The ending always seems a little… Unsatisfying… :/  
Am I the only one that feels that way? I wonder… 

Also… It´s been so quiet. It almost makes me wonder if it´s any use uploading at all – it's not like I don't have anything important to do… The holidays are here, and I should be spending my time on that. But I also want to upload for you guys. But, right now… I don't even know if anyone is waiting for the uploads anymore… I know I didn't get any reviews in the beginning, either, but back then, this wasn't exactly a story in my book; I didn't pay much attention to it, only writing when I felt like it.  
Nowadays, as I feel myself weighed down by the dark, gloomy winter days and the holidays, I feel more inclined to write for Hidden Feelings, to make people experience terrible things, I know, I have a little winter depression going on. Either way, I've already discarded several 3 clans chapters because the hurt became too much. So, tell me, is it worth agonizing over? Is anyone even still interested? Let me know, help me write happy stuff. I know I'm probably asking too much of you, but still… 

My upload pace will slow because of the holidays, but for 3 clans it might as well come to a full stop unless I find something happy to write about. Which won't happen if I keep thinking that nobody's interested anyway. Even if they are, it still might prove too hard, but let's not worry about that yet. Just let me know if you enjoy this story, give me something to write for. Or wait forever for the new updates. Now I sound like I'm threatening, I'm not though. Just… Not really able to find my happy place right now. And writing for 3 clans like this is… Agonizing. So… Yeah, I've said pretty much all I _can_ say, so I'll stop ranting now… 

Just one more thing, I'm even starting to feel like writing smut is a chore… So that means I _really_ can't find a good reason to keep writing. I think some encouragement is needed ;)

##########...##########

 **The sounds of Shikamaru**

##########...##########

 _Monday, nine-fifty PM, Shino's room,  
_

Shikamaru broke away, his breathing heavy. Leaning back against the wall, he lazily tugged at the hem of Choji's shirt, trying to get it off. 

Choji swallowed as his boyfriend's intention became clear to him, "No, Hotstuff, please… Let me do it myself, okay?" 

Watching his lover nod, he took a deep breath before – deliberately slow – pulling his shirt off, he didn't want to get caught in the fabric ever again. Discarding the shirt, he gave Shino a quick look. But the Aburame only smiled at him, encouraging him to continue. So he grabbed Shikamaru's hand, pulling him over to the bed. 

In the back of his mind, Shikamaru briefly wondered if he really _was_ okay with this. It still made him a little nervous, though not as much anymore. 

Shino followed them over to the bed, carefully avoiding Choji's pants as his boyfriend kicked them away. He reached into his nightstand, pulling out a bottle of lube and handing it to Shikamaru. As he did so, he found the Nara to be trembling lightly.  
Choji had also noticed, wrapping his arms around his tense lover, he whispered something in his ear.  
Shino saw the Nara nod, before handing the lube over to Choji and slipping out of his own pants. He leaned back against the wall, curiosity coursing through his veins. 

Shikamaru laid down on his back, spreading his legs. Still slightly anxious, he watched as Choji climbed on the bed as well, moving to sit in between his legs. He shot a look up, studying Shino's face intently for a few moments. The Aburame had removed both hoodie and sunglasses, and was leaning comfortably against the wall. Shikamaru wondered briefly how his lover managed to stay so calm; _he_ could _never_ hold back once his lovers were naked. 

Choji smiled as the surprise crept over Shikamaru's face, clearly the boy didn't understand how Shino could stay so calm at a time like this. Knowing Shikamaru would already be panting at this point, he almost giggled. But he wouldn't, knowing the Nara's trepidation still had not faded away completely. 

So he carefully coated his fingers with the lube, shooting a questioning look over at Shino to ensure he'd used enough. The time he'd done this with Shino, he had unconsciously realized he needn't worry too much about it, a point only proven further when his lover had all but begged him not to be too careful. But with Shikamaru it was different, so he waited for Shino's approving nod before softly placing one finger against Shikamaru's entrance. Choji tried to hold back his smile as his lover gasped. 

Shino had watched as Choji poured out a generous amount of the lube, nodding approvingly when he caught the other's questioning look. He'd smiled when he noticed Choji was warming the lube before touching their anxious lover, and almost chuckled when Shikamaru gasped. Back arched, eyes scrunched tight. From where Shino stood, it was clear it wasn't discomfort, and he couldn't help but think how cute Shikamaru looked right now. A slight blush pinking the Nara's cheeks, his body wiggling ever so slightly. Cute, but not… _Arousing._

He watched as Choji slowly allowed their boyfriend to get used to the feeling of one finger inside him again, shifting slightly. But by the time Choji slid in another finger… Still nothing. 

_Is there something wrong with me? No, I imagine it as simple as different tastes… Still, they are naked, and fucking on my bed. And I do not feel… Much. I feel… Happy, seeing that they both are enjoying this. And maybe a little in awe over how cute Shikamaru looks right now, Choji too, for that matter. Still, it does not arouse me like it does Loverboy. I wonder if it would arouse Buttercup to watch? I realize that both Loverboy's role and mine are… Defined. Not so much with him, though. Do we not give him the room to grow into his own? Should I even be thinking like this at this time? Should I be able to form thoughts as coherent as these? I do not mind standing by and watching them, but it simply does not turn me on…  
_

Shikamaru was writing under Choji's ministrations, but this time, he didn't mind. Not really. Maybe just a little. Alright, maybe it was just a _little_ embarrassing… He moaned as Choji found the same spot that Shino had found the day before, but his lover did not seem to understand… Could he find the words? No, he was pretty sure he couldn't… 

Shino almost chuckled when he heard Shikmaru's distinctive moan, seeing the ensuing frustration when Choji didn't seem to grasp why that _specific_ moan was different, important. He slowly pushed himself off the wall, moving to sit beside the Akimichi. Murmuring, he leaned over to his lover, "You just found the best spot there is, Honey… Do you remember where your fingers were just now?" 

Choji frowned lightly, concentration on his face. Tenderly, he tried to locate the spot that had made Shikamaru moan before. After a few tries, he was sure he got it right. 

"Ah _god,_ yes, fuck, _fuck!"_

Shino chuckled, before moving to stand against the wall again – _Choji's got this._  
Feeling a little hot, he silently removed his shirt, finding his breathing to be a little heavier than before. 

Shikamaru could hear himself get louder and louder as Choji continued to move around inside him, brushing past that special spot on every third thrust. The Akimichi held a steady and even pace, and Shikamaru suddenly felt incredibly tempted to bring his own hand to his member, gripping the headboard tight to prevent it. 

Choji seemed to notice, his fingers stilled and his voice sounded hesitant, "Is – is this okay, Hotstuff?" 

He nodded vigorously, hoping that Pumpkin would just continue now, because he couldn't find his voice anyway, and this 'not moving' thing was getting more and more frustrating by the second. 

They could hear Shino chuckle, "Buttercup, it's a good thing, don't worry so much…" Walking over to Shikamaru, he crouched beside the bed, bringing his head at the same level as his boyfriend's. Cocking his head ever so slightly, Shino had an amused look on his face, "You want him to get down to business, Loverboy?" He purred. 

Shikamaru swallowed hard, _extremely_ surprised that Sexy's voice didn't make him cum right then and there, nodding he managed to squeeze out an 'Uhuh,' before he bit his lip, feeling a little ashamed under Sexy's clearly amused look.  
He watched as the boy beside him looked up at Pumpkin, giving the other that little half-smirk. He could only see part of Sexy's face, but somehow, embarrassingly enough, it pushed him over the edge. Arching his back, the Nara closed his eyes. Seeing stars dance as he screamed his lover's names. 

Shino felt his mouth dry up the second Shikamaru's orgasm kicked in. Falling back on his ass, he caught himself with his hands – preventing a rather embarrassing fall to the head.  
 _Damn, he sounds so_ _ **hot**_ _…_  
The Aburame could hear himself panting, moaning, as his own member finally came to life.  
He just sat there, breathless, as he watched Choji lean over their boyfriend, placing a soft kiss on Shikamaru's lips as the panting boy's eyes opened again. 

"That… Was embarrassing…" He swallowed, resisting the urge to look away. 

"No, Loverboy…" Shino panted, "That was… Fucking _hot_ …" 

Two heads shot up, Shino wasn't exactly known for having a foul mouth. 

Shikamaru blinked, still feeling a little hazy, "Come again?" 

But the boy panting on the floor didn't reply, instead fiddling with the zipper on his pants.  
Choji chuckled, he hadn't expected his stoic lover to be influenced by the what was happening on the bed anymore. Looking back at Shikamaru, he gave the embarrassed boy a warm smile. 

"Looks like we'll have to give Angelface a little more encouragement, Hotstuff. You up for that?" 

Watching Shikamaru swallow, then nod, he smiled again. Returning to his previous actions. 

"No, Sweetcheeks," He could feel his cheeks burn, but still continued, "No, please I… I want your cock inside me…" His voice couldn't even be called a whisper at this point – _embarrassing_ – but his lover seemed to understand anyway. 

Nodding, Choji let out a shaky breath, trying to calm himself down just enough to concentrate on what he was about to do. Slicking up his own member, he repositioned himself, studying Shikamaru's face intently for a few seconds. 

All signs of anxiety had disappeared, though he still seemed a bit embarrassed at his unexpected climax. Choji just thought it was cute. But, taking advantage of the fact that his lover seemed to have forgotten about his trepidation for now, he slowly pushed in. 

Shikamaru's back arched again, he moaned loudly, before suddenly settling his lust-filled gaze on his lover, " _Move,_ Pumpkin! Don't… _Ah_ … Make me beg again…" 

Choji couldn't resist a quick look over at Shino, _he_ was moaning now, too. Shino had miraculously managed to get his pants off, touching himself as he watched the two on the bed with lidded eyes. 

Choji felt a lewd smile creep over his face, Shino _really_ wasn't as stoic as people seemed to believe…  
Holding on to tanned hips, he pulled out almost completely, before thrusting back in. He was careful, not wanting to hurt Shikamaru, and it seemed that his gentility was appreciated. 

"Yeah… _Ah,_ like… Like that, Sweet – _Ah, yes! Fuck… Ah_ _ **fuck**_ _…!"  
_

Shino couldn't focus on anything but Shikamaru's voice and his own throbbing cock, somewhere in the back of his head he finally realized what it was about watching that turned his voyeuristic lover on so much. Unconsciously matching Choji's rhythm, his hand moved around his own erection. Allowing himself to drop his back on the floor as he couldn't focus on staying upright anymore. 

Choji was panting, taking in the sight of the Nara writhing under him, and the sounds of both his boyfriends as he tried to last as long as he possibly could. He could hear Shikamaru cry out, swallowing hard as he watched his lover be overtaken by his climax once more. 

" _Ah… Fu –_ _ **Fuck! Shi – Cho – Ahhhh… FUCK!**_ " _ **  
**_

Shino was lost the moment Shikamaru cried out, his own voice joining in as he felt his muscles tightening before – _finally_ – releasing his load. Panting, he rode out his orgasm, Loverboy's voice still ringing in his ears. 

Choji heard both his lovers cry out, knowing he wasn't quite there yet. His careful pace quickened a little, needing the added friction more than anything right now. Just when Shikamaru fell silent, a few seconds after Shino's cries had ended as well, his vision went black. Slumping over his slender lover, Choji tried to catch his breath. Chuckling breathlessly as he caught sight of Shino. The Aburame looked thoroughly ashamed, clearly he hadn't expected Shikamaru's voice to drive him over the edge. 

Slowly slipping out, he moaned softly, feeling too tender now to be able to deal with the sensation. Sighing, Choji pushed himself of off the bed, offering Shino a hand in getting up. 

"You okay there, Angelface?" There was a chuckle in his soft tone, somehow the slightly self-conscious look on his lover's face seemed comical to him. 

"I am… I did not expect…" Shino shot him a little embarrassed smile, "He really is _so_ loud…" 

Choji looked over at the bed for a moment, smiling softly as he noticed Shikamaru had already fallen asleep. 

Shino pinched his lip between his thumb and index finger, "He's going to feel that in the morning, Honey…" 

"I… I got too rough, didn't I?" 

Watching his lover's shoulders slump in shameful regret, Shino wrapped his arms around the other tightly, whispering, "Not really, but he's not used to it… Even so, we will worry about that in the morning, although I believe it would probably be a good idea not to repeat this for three days in a row," He chuckled, "Even though that has _got_ to be the sexiest sound I have _ever_ heard… Maybe Kakashi-sensei is onto something with these descriptive pet names…" 

"You wouldn't!" Choji whispered furiously, a wicked grin on his face, "You'd embarrass the _hell_ out of him! First time you use it, make sure it's in front of Kakashi-sensei and Iruka-sensei, they're gonna have a _fit_!" 

Shino chuckled, "You're mean, Buttercup… I _like_ that idea… Now, what should we name him?" 

"Hmmm," Choji moved over to the bed, gently pushing the Nara back on the bed a little so that he and Shino could attempt to fit next to him, "I'm not sure… I mean, Sexvoice is taken," He grinned wickedly. 

"Indeed… It would not be very _creative_ of us… How does 'Sex bomb' sound to you?" His grin perfectly matched Choji's. 

"Like he's gonna bust our balls for it… No, _wait,_ ' _Fucking Loud Sex Bomb'."  
_

"You're right… 'Loud' should be in there somewhere… Hmmm," Shino walked over, giving his lover a soft kiss on the lips, "I'm tired now, though… We'll revisit this subject tomorrow, alright?" He covered his mouth with one hand as a big yawn overcame him. 

"Hmmm, tomorrow, Angelface," Choji lay down, pulling Shikamaru half on top of him so there would be room for the third boy. 

"Tomorrow, and I will also talk to my parents about getting a larger bed… This is getting ridiculous…" The Aburame mumbled, resting his head on Choji's chest, "I love you, Buttercup. Sleep tight…" 

"Sweet dreams, my love."

##########...##########

 _ **A/N:**_ _Why does it always get so late when I'm writing my smutty chappies… -.-" It's four AM and I have somewhere to be tomorrow… Seriously though, this isn't even funny anymore at this point…  
_

_On a side note… Anyone have any ideas for a thoroughly embarrassing pet name for Shikamaru? I'm honest to god wrecking my brain here, but…_


	27. Headache from hell

AUTHORS NOTE: Hey thank you guys for the amazing reviews, especially Caremel, even though I could probably name you a few that are, in my opinion, definitely better writers, it feels amazing to read that you think so highly of me. I know I was really ranting on last chapter, and I probably came off as some needy little self-absorbed teenager, but… Yeah, well, sorry about that. ;) 

So I´m feeling a little better than I did when I uploaded the last chapter, which is, in a way, kind of funny. Because that chapter was all ´Yay, Smut!´ and this one is all ´Boo! Headache!´ lol.  
But you write, and you put things of yourself in there, and honestly… I can´t remember the last time I was truly headache-free, it's been years. So I can definitely sympathize with Kakashi on this one… 

But, eh… To get back to Jaz and _her_ question… You _do_ realize they're only teenagers, right? Are we really going to let three teenagers live together without any form of parental supervision? I dunno… Sounds a little… _Weird_ , don't you think? 

Let's see what you people make of this… If the Hyuga raised questions, I wonder what _this'll_ do… And just so you know… I do not do clear writing plans or anything, the story usually writes itself. I _do_ have an idea where this is going, but… Yeah, well, I could be wrong.  
So asking me about it is absolutely pointless…

##########...##########

 **Headache from hell**

##########...##########

 _Tuesday, five AM, Iruka's apartment,  
_

Eventually, Kakashi had calmed down. Or at least, he'd pulled himself out of that weird mood that always managed to frighten Iruka so. Throwing his boyfriend on his back, the silver-haired man had given him a quick fuck. After, he'd rolled away from him and had immediately fallen asleep. Iruka sighed, the sun was already beginning her ascend, and he hadn't slept at all. 

_Someday I'm going to figure out what the hell is up with that…  
_

Looking over at his lover, he sighed one more time, before deciding to give up on sleep all together and just take a shower. 

##########...##########

 _Tuesday, five-fifteen AM, Iruka's apartment,  
_

Kakashi awoke to the sound of the shower and a throbbing pain behind his eyes. Muttering a few curses under his breath, the man slowly sat up. Moving hurt.  
 _This is bad… Damnit, I let it happen_ _ **again**_ _… Fear should never,_ _ **ever**_ _be the first emotion on my mind… Not even in front of Iruka…_ A wry smile tucked at his lips, _Well, not like_ _ **that**_ _anyway…  
_ His head felt foggy, and the pain behind his eyeballs only seemed to increase.  
 _Fuck it! I'm not getting out of bed, not like_ _ **this**_ _. Damn… This hurts…  
_

"Sweetheart?" Iruka appeared, wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. Normally, the sight of his lover so scantily dressed would cause the older man to pounce him, but right now, even _thinking_ about it was too much. 

"Your headache is back again," The brunette stated softly. There was no need to _ask_ , this happened every time, "How bad?" 

"Can't fucking move," The silver-haired man could only barely manage a whisper, wincing at the sound of his own voice. 

"Right, I'll go get you something," Iruka silently left the room, heading straight for the kitchen. 

He retrieved a small bag from the back of one of the upper cabinets, mixing some of the white powder with a little sugar in a glass of water. Kakashi may hate sweet things, but this stuff was so bitter that even _he_ couldn't down it with only water. It was one of the strongest painkillers in the entire village, but Iruka knew that even _this_ wouldn't help his boyfriend much.  
Frowning, he realized that Kakashi would need to get a new prescription from Lady Tsunade soon, the little bag was almost empty; just one dose remaining. 

Iruka sighed, Lady Tsunade and he were the only ones that knew about the copy ninja's headaches, but what Lady Tsunade _didn't_ know, what _only_ Iruka knew, was the desperation that always proceeded them. He sighed again. Loving Kakashi was at times the most painful thing in the world. Not that he could ever _stop_ loving the man, but… Sometimes it would feel _so_ nice to have a _normal_ boyfriend… One that didn't cling to him in the dark of night, one that didn't simply let go of all inhibitions whenever he bloody _felt_ like it. 

_One that I could actually get drunk… Not that it would solve anything, but maybe then he would be able to relax for_ _ **real**_ _, if only for a little while. I'm not sure why he keeps insisting that childish thing of his is relaxation, because we_ _ **both**_ _know it's not. Kakashi only ever really relaxes for seconds at a time – and only during sex.  
_

Once he returned to the bedroom, he offered the silver-haired man a rice ball, "Here, eat this first." 

"Iruka… Just give me the glass…" 

The brunette sighed softly, "No, Lady Tsunade was very clear, Kakashi. You have to eat something first, come on Sweetheart. I know it's hard, but we have to think about your stomach as well as your head, here…" 

But the older man shook his head, wincing at the pain it caused him, "I'm too nauseous to eat anything, 'Ruka. Just give me the glass, it'll be fine." 

"No. You eat first, or you're not getting it. End of discussion, Kakashi," Even though he was still whispering, Iruka's tone was strict. They'd had this conversation so many times before… "If you want something else, I'll make it for you. But you eat first." 

He watched the man sigh, feeling relieved as Kakashi held out his hand, "Fine…" 

A small smile tucked at the corners of the brunette's mouth, but he immediately passed the food to his lover, "Eat the whole thing, Sweety." 

"I know…" For a few seconds he just stared at the rice ball, looking miserable. But then he obediently took a bite. 

Iruka frowned in sympathy as he saw the look on this boyfriends face, it was quite clear that he could only _barely_ manage to swallow. Honestly, Iruka was relieved the man wasn't gagging – that'd happened before too… 

When he'd finally managed to eat the whole rice ball, Kakashi held out his hand again, his posture demanding this time. Iruka couldn't blame him, the man was obviously in pain. A _lot_ of pain. So he stirred the liquid one more time before handing the glass over. Watching Kakashi tip the whole thing back immediately. 

"Just stay here for a little while, okay? I have to get ready for work, but you shouldn't get up yet…" Taking the glass back, Iruka swiftly grabbed a clean uniform before leaving the room. He'd get dressed in the kitchen or something, not wanting to disturb Kakashi more. 

After Iruka had left, Kakashi slowly let himself drop back on the bed.  
 _Damnit… I fucking_ _ **hate**_ _this… The infamous copy ninja, beaten by a fucking stupid headache. Damn it all. Just imagine how easy it would be to take me down right now, I can't even fucking_ _ **move**_ _, let alone fight back… Iruka… He's always there for me, when am I_ _ **ever**_ _there for him? He was wrong, I'm not weak_ _ **er**_ _, I'm definitely weak. Just weak. A fucking worthless shinobi, taken out by nothing but a headache… Tsch, useless…  
_

##########...##########

 _Tuesday, seven-thirty AM, Iruka's apartment,  
_

Iruka softly walked up to the bed, wanting to see if Kakashi had fallen back asleep or not. 

"Don't bother with the fucking stealth mode, Babe. I'm awake…" 

Biting back a chuckle, he asked how his lover was doing. 

"Little better, still not so sure if moving around is a good idea, though… You leaving?" 

"Almost, want me to get you something before I go?" 

Kakashi sighed, he fucking _hated_ this, "Water? And maybe… I think I might be able to eat something in a little while, maybe after that I can get up…" 

"Alright, anything in particular?" 

Another small sigh, "No more rice balls… Other than that… I don't care, Love. I really don't care…" 

Iruka cocked his head, Kakashi usually didn't have a clue what to eat at such times, but then again, whatever he ended up giving him would turn out to be wrong. Actually, he was pretty sure that the copy ninja just really couldn't eat anything, and was trying to keep up appearances. That is, until he actually _saw_ the food, _smelled_ it. Because when he did, his stomach would start to churn, and he would almost throw up. Making the whole thing yet another lost cause. _  
_

But he didn't argue, instead heading back in the kitchen to find something that the man would _hopefully_ be able to stomach. He eventually settled on tamagoyaki, usually Kakashi would love that, and it didn't matter as much if it'd gone cold before the older man could try if he could eat. 

So he quickly got to work, keeping an eye on the clock as he did so. Showing up late was… _Problematic._ There were a few colleagues that always seemed to _assume_ they knew why, and Iruka just didn't want to have to deal with that hassle again. And since he couldn't tell them the truth… That just left making sure he showed up on time. 

When he brought over the plate and the water, he set them both in the windowsill. Kakashi'd fallen asleep after all, and he _really_ didn't want to wake the man. Deciding another glass of water couldn't hurt, he walked back into the kitchen. Just as Iruka turned on the tap, a knock sounded at the door, immediately followed by a tormented groan emanating from the bed. Iruka sighed. Whoever it was, they had terrible timing. 

Opening the door, the chuunin felt _incredibly_ tempted to slam it shut again. 

"Good morning to you, Iruka! I have returned from my mission and have come to issue a challenge to my eternal rival!" 

_Gai… Of all people it just_ _ **had**_ _to be_ _ **this**_ _guy…  
_ "Gai, he's not here. And I would very much appreciate it if you could keep your voice down. There are still people sleeping in this building. Like my elderly neighbor. So please," Iruka moved to close the door again, but Gai's foot blocked the action. 

His voice low, he almost managed to whisper, "He's here. I can feel his chakra. Is that awful headache torturing him again?" 

"Gai… Please remove your foot. I have to get ready for work," He didn't want this guy inside his apartment, with Kakashi severely weakened, while he wasn't around. Actually… Iruka would prefer if Gai _never_ entered his apartment, but he had this weird friendship thing with Kakashi, so apparently, it was unavoidable… 

"I'll stay with him, Iruka. He shouldn't be alone if he's in that much pain." 

_How do you even_ _ **know**_ _about it, though? When I asked Kakashi about it, he said Lady Tsunade and I were the only ones that knew…  
_ "Gai, no offense, but you're _not_ staying here while I'm at work. This is still _my_ apartment. Now please, leave." 

He watched the older man sigh, "Iruka, I'm just going to come back after you've left. Just like last time. And Kakashi won't open the door, just like last time. And then I'll pick your lock, again, just like last time. And after about an hour or so, Kakashi is going to grunt something along the lines of 'thanks for being here' – _just_ like last time. Could we _please_ skip the breaking and entering part _this_ time?" 

Iruka blinked, "Excuse me?" 

"He's my _best friend_ , did you _really_ think I wouldn't find out why he keeps himself holed up in a dark room every other month or so?" 

Iruka bit his lip, he _really_ didn't like the thought of Gai hanging out in his apartment with an only semi-conscious Kakashi, but if the man was telling the truth, there wasn't much he could do about it anyway… "Don't you _dare_ make it any worse, Gai. Or I won't _care_ that you're a jounin, I won't give a _crap_ about your tai-jutsu, I will _hunt you_ _down_. Got it?" 

The older man simply nodded, before pushing the door open just far enough to squeeze through. He walked over to the bed without any hesitation, leaning over the sleeping form of Kakashi Hatake ever so slightly. He watched his friend sleep for a few seconds before turning back to Iruka, "How long ago did he take the medicine?" 

The brunette had to strain his ears to hear him, crossing his arms in front of his chest he answered just as softly, "Around five-thirty. _Don't_ wake him up." 

Gai only shook his head, calmly dropping himself on the floor beside the bed. 

Iruka sighed once more, glancing at the clock, "Look, I have to go. But I _swear_ Gai, you do _anything –"  
_

"I won't, Iruka. Like I said, he's my best friend. Just go, I'll take care of him for now." 

The chuunin sighed one last time, before leaving the apartment.  
 _I cannot_ _ **believe**_ _I just agreed to that… Can't believe Gai_ _ **knows**_ _, either. Why didn't Kakashi tell me? If that guy actually_ _ **broke into**_ _my apartment… Well, who am I kidding? It's an old building, and I don't set traps. I mean, why should I? And he's a_ _ **jounin**_ _, of course he'd get in. Probably took him only a minute, maybe even less… But why didn't Kakashi tell me about it? Was he afraid I'd get upset? He knows I don't like having Gai in my apartment… Or maybe it just slipped his mind, though… He's always a little hazy when he has those headaches… I'll ask him about it when I'm off work. He should be feeling better by then, and I'm_ _ **not**_ _going to just leave this be…  
_

_Gai is in my apartment…_ He pulled a face.  
 _Gai is in my apartment, and Kakashi is asleep._ That was even worse, so he frowned.  
 _Gai is in my apartment, and Kakashi is asleep. But even when he wakes up, he's going to be too weak to do anything…_ Now _that_ thought was almost unbearable. Causing the worried man to bite his lip, undecided between going back, and going to work after all. 

_I could always just say I'm sick… No, I should probably try and have a little more faith in Kakashi's friends… Damnit. Why do I always have to be this reasonable guy? If I were like Kakashi, what would I do now? Well, for starters, I wouldn't be working a steady job. But mostly, I probably would've kicked Gai out, because if I were like Kakashi, I'd actually be strong enough to_ _ **do**_ _that, and I'd have the added bonus of not giving a crap what people think of me. No actually, he_ _ **does**_ _care… Just doesn't show it much.  
Whatever, I just have to get through the day and hope everything will work out with those two…_

##########...##########

 _Tuesday, ten-forty-five AM, Iruka's apartment,  
_

Groaning, Kakashi slowly opened his eye, the light was way too bright though, so he immediately closed it again. 

"I am sorry, my friend. The sun is bright today and the curtains won't keep the light out." 

_Gai. Gai is here again…_ "So… You broke in again?" 

"No," A light chuckle sounded from next to the bed, "Iruka actually let me in this time. He seemed surprised I knew about your headaches, though. And he had no idea I'd broken in before," Gai's voice turned even more serious, "You should really tell him why you have them, my friend. He's worried for you…" 

"I know. But I just… I can't Gai. Not yet," The copy ninja sighed, "Could you please get me some water?" 

The dark form of his friend leaned over him, grabbing something from the windowsill, "Right here, Iruka left it there for you. Do you need me to help you up?" 

Another sigh emanated from the silver-haired man, "Please, Gai…" 

A strong arm wrapped around his shoulders, gently pulling him up. Reaching around, Gai propped up the pillows so his friend could rest against them before handing him the glass. The jounin sat down on the edge of the bed, watching the other man take little sips of water. 

"You know Gai, you don't really need to be here…" He still had both eyes closed, the sun really was way too bright today. 

"Where else would I be, Kakashi?" 

"Training, pestering Lee… I don't care, honestly. You're just wasting your time here…" 

"No I'm not, stop saying stupid things. When my best friend is in pain, I want to be there to help him. That's just how it is." 

"Iruka doesn't like you being here," He took another small sip. 

"Iruka doesn't like a lot of things, doesn't mean I have to care," He took the empty glass from the silver-haired man, "Do you want more?" 

"No… So he left eggs, this time, huh?" His face scrunched up, even the _smell_ made him sick to his stomach. 

"Yes, he did. Truthfully, I don't understand why you keep asking for food while you _know_ you won't be able to eat anything." 

"A man can hope, Gai. That's all it is…" 

"I think you're just trying to put your boyfriend at ease…" 

"Maybe…" The copy ninja bit his lip, "Gai… I'm naked here, which is not exactly a good situation for me, could you please get me something to wear…?" 

His best friend chuckled softly, "Want me to help you get dressed?" 

"No!" He winced, " _Ouch…._ Just toss me something, okay… And stop with the mean jokes…" 

Gai sighed, "It wasn't a joke, Kakashi. You can't even open your eye right now, can barely move –" 

"The whole reason I want clothes is so you _won't_ see me naked!" The copy ninja whispered furiously, wincing at the pain this caused him, he still continued, "I don't _fucking_ care if it hurts so much my head _fucking splits in two, damnit!_ " His voice took on a whiney tone as he went on, "Gai, you _know_ how I feel about this…" 

"I know, but I just think you're over-reacting, my friend. It's not like I've never seen you naked before…" 

"Because you fucking hid in my damned _bathtub!_ That's just nasty…" 

Gai chuckled again, moving over to the dresser, "I have no idea what's his and what's yours though, does it matter?" 

"Ugh, second drawer, Gai… Iruka's pants always feel too loose…" 

"Maybe he should lose some weight… You're not giving him enough of a work-out, Kakashi… You two should burn the calories more often…" 

Another sigh sounded from the bed, "I'm _so_ not discussing my sex life with you, _especially_ not since I'm _still_ naked…" 

Gai laughed softly, bringing a pair of pajama pants over to the bed, "Can't find your underwear, where'd you put it?" 

"Doesn't matter, this'll do… Just, turn around or go away or something, Gai…" 

Gai chuckled again, he could tell his friend was blushing, "Want me to get rid of that food?" 

Kakashi nodded, then winced. 

"Alright, I'll be back in a few minutes, I'll let you know before I come in, okay?" 

Another nod, another moan. Gai didn't really pay attention to it, Kakashi could be _so_ stubborn sometimes. So he just walked over to the kitchen. Deciding throwing the food out would be a waste, he put the plate in the fridge, knowing Iruka would probably get frustrated again. 

_He really loves him so much, but Kakashi still can't seem to trust him. He's my best friend and my eternal rival and he's the most stubborn, most stupid person I've ever met… All he has to do is sit down with his boyfriend, explain the situation, and I'm sure those horrible headaches will go away. Or at least they'll lessen considerably. I don't understand it, Kakashi has been watching the guy forever. He's loved him forever. And they've been together now for what, a year? Almost a year, at least… And he_ _ **still**_ _can't trust him. To be fair, I've known him since we were children, and he still doesn't trust_ _ **me**_ _either…  
_

He listened to the sounds coming from the other room intently for a few seconds. 

_He's cursing under his breath again, and moaning in pain, and he_ _ **still**_ _won't let me help him. I can understand that he'd rather not let others see him naked, I really can, but… He's in so much pain, right now… Kakashi's my best friend, and even_ _ **I'm**_ _not allowed to help him. If Iruka were here, would he let_ _ **him**_ _help him get dressed? Somehow I doubt it. It just doesn't sound like Kakashi. On the other hand, Iruka wouldn't listen to his protests… He'd just force the guy.  
_

_I'm in no position to do something like that, though… Weird, he's fucked like half the village, but there's only_ _ **one**_ _guy that's allowed to see him naked… I know he usually keeps the lights off, but wasn't there that one guy that objected…? Who was that again… Oh, right, the Huyga. Some freaky stuff about using his jutsu during sex… I'm_ _ **never**_ _fucking a Hyuga, that's for sure…  
Ah, sounds like he's finally managed to cover himself up… Damned pride of his.  
_

"Kakashi, alright if I come back in now?" 

"Yeah… Bring more water?" 

_You don't need to ask like that, my friend… You almost sound like you're begging…  
_ "Sure, anything else?" 

"No. Just water. Plenty." 

Gai sighed, filling a water bottle that was by the sink, apparently Iruka had been planning on doing the same thing, because there was already some water in it. He dumped that, and filled the bottle with fresh water before walking back to his friend. 

Kakashi was sitting on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands, "Thanks Gai…" 

"Sure, there you go," He sat down next to the silver-haired man, "Really though, you should just tell him." 

Kakashi took a small sip, "Like I said, I can't yet." 

"You're just postponing." 

"So what? It's not your problem, Gai. And I never asked you to stay here with me. If you have such troubles understanding all of this, why don't you just get out?" His whispered words sounded angry again, but this time the pain didn't seem to affect him as much. 

"You know I won't. You also know how I feel about this." 

"You don't know Iruka like I do," Another small sip, the water seemed to be helping. 

"I think I'm lucky I don't… No offense, Kakashi, but I'd rather not look at naked guys if I can help it," Gai chuckled lightly, "Now, if you were doing some hot chick…" 

"If you've got such a problem with naked guys, why do you keep insisting to help me get dressed?" He squinted at his friend, so the sun didn't bother him as much anymore either. Good. 

"Because you're my friend, and I can tell how much it hurts you to do it yourself. Doesn't mean I want to see it," Gai calmly pointed out. 

"Gai, don't take this the wrong way," Kakashi's voice started to sound stronger again, and his eye opened a little further. He took another small sip, offering his friend a wry smile, "It'd hurt a _lot_ more to have you trying not to look while pulling up my pants…" 

"You shouldn't be so embarrassed about every little thing, Kakashi," He smiled softly, "I'm only trying to help you, after all." 

"And I don't fucking _want_ your help," The copy ninja suddenly hissed, "Because if I need your help, that means I'm _weak_ , and how the _hell_ can I _ever_ face Iruka again if I'm weak? Huh? Ever thought about _that_?!" 

Gai didn't respond, simply sitting next to his friend until such time that Kakashi would come to realize that he was overreacting again. It took some time, almost ten minutes had passed before the copy ninja spoke again, "I'm sorry, Gai. I'm taking my frustrations out on you again…" 

"It's okay. I'd rather you take it out on me than that cute little chuunin of yours…" He gave his friend a lopsided grin, "Who knows what the poor guy would do?" 

"Sigh, put his hands on his hips, shake his head wearily then walk away…" Kakashi smiled back, "And then I'd follow him, and wrap my arms around him, and in no time at all he'd be laying on his back, right _here_." 

Gai chuckled, "I think that may have been a _little_ more than I wanted to hear, my friend," Then, serious again, "When will you finally tell him, Kakashi?" 

The silver-haired man shrugged, drinking the last of the water, "Probably… Never." 

"So you're just going to take the punishment?" 

"It's all I know, Gai. If you don't want to stick around to watch it, the door is right there," He pointed, "Just never tell him. _Never_." 

Gai got up, taking the water bottle to refill it, "I know. That's your prerogative, I presume, still… I hate seeing you like this, my friend. I would never walk away from you, you know that, but I hate – and I mean really _hate_ – seeing you like this." 

"I know, Gai… Thanks for sticking around anyway…"


	28. Choji's fantasy

AUTHORS NOTE: So… Smut doesn't _need_ to be in every chapter, huh, Vicky? Then how about awkward convo's _about_ smut to cum? (Sorry I _so_ could not resist the lamest pun ever…) 

Anyway… I'm feeling a little more up for all of this again, thanks to some awesome people ^.^  
I'm still way too busy, and I wish I could just lock myself in a room and write, but it's (yay -.-") Holiday season… So, I can't. Either way, I _do_ have a tiny little buffer again, so that would _hopefully_ make it a little easier to upload. I love you all, and I hope you enjoy the awkwardness that will consume this chappy ^.^ 

Oh, I'm also still looking for a 'loud' nickname for Shika, one that will embarrass the living daylights out of the brat, which is kind of hard 'cause… It's _Shikamaru_ …  
The Kaka/Iru goes onsen plotbunny thingy is also still going on, anything you'd like these two to do/talk about/whatever while they're on holiday, let me know. The best ideas will make it into the story ^.^

##########...##########

 **Choji's fantasy**

##########...##########

 _Tuesday, ten-forty AM, Shino's bedroom,  
_

"Honey, I gotta say… Your mother is a lot easier to get along with if your father isn't around…" 

"I _did_ tell you that before we went to have breakfast, Hun," Shino shifted a little so he could look at Choji, at the other end of the line on the edge of the bed, Shikamaru was sitting in the middle, as always. 

"Yeah… Anyway, Hotstuff… How're you feeling?" 

"Huh?"Shikamaru blinked at the boy on his right, "What do you mean? I'm fine…" 

"I mean, eh… Your… _Butt_. I thought I… Maybe I hurt you last night…" Choji whispered softly, too embarrassed to look up at his lover. 

"Oh… _That_ … It's fine, Sweetcheeks. It… Kinda hurts a little but… It's not too bad, don't worry about it. I mean… It felt good, so… Yeah…" Shikamaru blushed bright, staring at his knees, "I don't even know why, 'cause… I mean… You were being so gentle, and…" He trailed off, unsure where he was going with this, and if he should even continue at this point. 

Shino stood up, kneeling on the floor in between his two lovers' legs, "Loverboy, he picked up the pace a little when you lost your focus. He needed that, but he felt really guilty about it after. And you still do, don't you, Buttercup?" He watched Choji nod, cheeks burning. Shikamaru, on the other hand, looked up, searching Shino's face for a few seconds. 

"I… I noticed," He turned his gaze toward Choji, "It's okay, Pumpkin. That didn't hurt me, or anything… I just… I really don't know _where_ it comes from. But like I said, it's fine. I don't really hurt that bad, so could you please stop beating yourself up over it?" 

The Akimichi nodded, raising his eyes up to meet Shikamaru's, "Angelface said it may be because you're not used to it and we still did it two nights in a row…" 

"It is a definite possibility. Which is why I propose that we keep Loverboy's ass out of the sex for a couple days…" He pinched his lower lip between this thumb and index finger for a second, "And that is not because I think you're weak, Baby. I just know from experience that it _will_ be fine in a day or two, maybe three. And if you'd like to, we can just let you get used to it a little slower. It's not like there's any rush, right?" He looked up at his dark-haired lover a little anxiously, unsure how the Nara would receive his words. 

"Precious…" He hesitated for a moment, "Did… Did it hurt for you, too?" 

"At first. Though I did not have the benefit of a patient lover at that time…" 

"What do you mean, Hun? Was Ne – eh, was _that_ guy rough with you?" A little anger appeared in Choji's voice, he didn't like that Hyuga to begin with, but this made it even worse. 

"No, Choji. At least, not like that. I…" Again he pinched his lip, "He was not my first… I am sorry." 

"Don't be, Sexy. You _did_ tell us you came out to your parents long before you dated him, so… I guess I shouldn't be surprised…" _  
_

Shino didn't look up, staring at the small strip of white sheets between his lovers' bodies, "But you _are_ , isn't that right?" 

"No… Not really. I mean, you're _Sexy_ , who _wouldn't_ want to fuck you…" 

"The others were all one night affairs, though. And I've only ever removed my sunglasses for the two of you." 

Choji shifted a little uncomfortably, "That's nice and all, but… Shino, how many were there?" 

The Aburame closed his eyes, letting his head drop as he answered softly, "I never kept track…" 

"Do we know any of them?" Shikamaru swallowed, that wasn't something he really wanted to think about, but some part of him needed to know. 

Shino remained quiet for a little while, before moving back just enough to touch his forehead to the floor, "I apologize. I never considered that this might be an issue, that was dumb of me. There are a few that you might remember, however I am quite certain these are not people any of us still keep ties with. With the exception of the person we already discussed, that is. I believe there were at least two of our old classmates, though none of them graduated the Academy. Also three others from this village." 

"How many more, Shino?" Choji asked hesitantly. 

"I did not keep track. I…" The boy kneeling on the floor swallowed hard, tears staining his face and straining his voice, "I apologize. I slept around. Trying to get the both of you out of my head, because I believed it to be impossible. I beg you for your forgiveness." 

"Stop apologizing, Precious. And get off the floor, it's not necessary." 

"He's right, we may not like it, but it's nothing to get so upset about… I just wish… I dunno, never mind." 

Shino straightened his back, but was still kneeling on the floor. His eyes glued to that little patch of white sheet between the two others. Shikamaru cleared his throat, "Pumpkin, what would you wish? If we don't feel like we can be honest with each other…" 

"It's not that. I guess… I guess I wish that Shino – but at the same time, I guess it's better that he… You know, that at least _one_ of us has some experience…" 

"Yeah… I know what you mean… Imagine how Kakashi and Iruka-sensei would have been if none of us had ever… Done this before." 

Shino slowly got up, moving to take his place next to Shikamaru once more, "It depends what 'this' you are referring to. I never had an actual relationship before either… Not really." 

"Just sex," The Akimichi giggled, "And it _does_ make me kind of happy that you have some… _Experience_ when we, uh… Well, you're just good, I guess that's what I'm saying…" 

A small smile tucked at the Aburame's lips, "Thank you. I will try my best never to disappoint. Though… There is actually something I would like to ask… The thought sort of surfaced last night… Although I'm uncertain how to phrase it properly…" 

"Just ask, Sexy," He sighed, "Didn't we already agree on that?" 

"We did, however, this is not so much trepidation as… Not knowing the words," He pulled a face, pinching his lip once more. 

"Honey… You've been doing that since last night…" 

"What have I been doing since last night, Buttercup?" He seemed genuinely confused, leaning over to look at the Akimichi. 

"Pinching your lip. It started last night, when I... When you said that Hotstuff was going to feel it in the morning…" 

Shino blinked, then looked at his hand, pressing thumb and index finger together, in the same way he did when he caught his lip between them, "It is a nervous habit. I have spent too many years around Hinata," He smiled, "No, honestly, it only appears when I am both a little embarrassed and anxious, but still feel safe around my company. Usually I never do this around anyone but my own parents. My mother has been trying to get me to break the habit for years now… Obviously, it did not work," Another small smile appeared. 

"I see… So, it's not actually a bad thing, right Angelface?" 

"Not in the slightest, if anything, it is proof that I, too, have emotions," Shino winked at them, before chuckling, "Either way, it's a part of who I am. And you shouldn't worry too much about it." 

"We won't then, Precious… Have you figured out the words, yet?" 

"I… Believe I have. Although I do not know how to be… _Subtle,_ about this. So I'll be blunt. Loverboy is a voyeur, and, as pointed out, I am more of an exhibitionist. When asked the question, you, Buttercup simply stated you were a willing participant," He pinched his lip once more, "I think… What I am trying to ask is… Do you feel like we are already too comfortable in our own... _Perversions_ , I think we could call them," A light chuckle, "Are we not giving you the room to find your own… _Thing_? Whatever it is that turns on Choji Akimichi?" 

"Darn… I never even thought about that, Sexy…" 

"Clearly," But the Aburame smiled, before settling his gaze on Choji once more. 

The boy blinked, "I… I don't know. I guess… I never really thought about it before… I mean, I know you like to watch – and mostly I'm sort of okay with that. Even though it's a little… Embarrassing sometimes. It's also a little hot to see your reaction, so… Yeah, I just don't really like it when you're out of view, because then it's like… Hotstuff gets off, but… I don't get to share in that… And, Angelface… I mean, you kind of thrive on having someone watch you, don't you?" 

Shino nodded, "I do. Although, since last night, I understand Loverboy's position in this a little better. Though I believe… I'm more about _hearing_ it…" 

The Nara smirked, "That much was clear. I thought it was a little unnerving that you were looking, but then…" He bit his lip, staring at the floor, "I think I'm with Pumpkin on wanting to be able to see the third. And… You were incredibly sexy when you… Eh, interfered a little…" 

Shino smirked back at him, "That much was clear," He chuckled, "Buttercup? Is there something you'd like to try out? Would you like to watch us sometime, or maybe see what happens to you when you're the one _being_ fucked when there's one of us watching, or –" 

"Shino… Please. It's a little… Embarrassing when you say it out loud like that…" The Akimichi looked away shyly, "And… Like I said, I never really thought about it before. It's not like I have such high demands or anything… I just want everyone to enjoy themselves. That's enough, really…" 

"It's for us, too, Carebear. But Sexy has a valid point. It's always about what either he or I want, and we never even _asked_ you… It's actually pretty bad when you think about it…" He added thoughtfully, "I mean, we said we're all in this together, but…" Shikamaru worried the inside of his lip for a while, "It's just not right. We've been way too overbearing, Precious." 

The Aburame nodded, "That is also the conclusion that I drew. So I ask you again, Buttercup. What would _you_ want?" 

"I… It's not really important to me, not like with you guys. I guess that's why I sort of hang back and let you decide, because I really don't care as much. I mean… I like – _you know_ – getting off, and stuff… But…" He trailed off, shifting his gaze away from his lovers. 

"Did Sexy's question embarrass you that much, Sweetcheeks?" 

"A little…" 

"Which, if I'm not terribly mistaken, only serves to prove my point. Given your reaction… Choji, you cannot honestly tell me there isn't something that's been on your mind, can you? Please look at me, Buttercup and tell me one more time how you don't really care," Shino smiled, he was _absolutely_ certain his boyfriend would be unable to lie to his face, and he also knew that there _was_ something that Choji wanted; he was just too embarrassed to say it. 

"Shino… _Please_ …" Still, he didn't look at up, "Stop asking, okay?" 

"Then look at me and tell me there isn't anything you want, Honey." 

"I… Can't…" 

Shikamaru couldn't take it anymore, jumping up, he pulled Choji into his arms, speaking softly into his lover's ear, but still loud enough for Shino to hear as well, "There is nothing to fear, Pumpkin. If there is something you'd like, we can always discuss it, right? If, _maybe_ , it crosses a line for either Sexy or me, we can let you know. But I promise you I will never hold it against you." 

"Nor will I, Hun," Shino wrapped his arms around both of his boyfriends, giving them both a soft kiss on the cheek. 

"But… I mean… I don't even know if…" Choji swallowed, burying his face against Shikamaru's shoulder. 

"What don't you know, Pumpkin?" 

"I can't…" 

Shikamaru had to suppress a sigh, he'd always known Choji was a little shy sometimes, but this was getting ridiculous. Both he and Shino had learned to deal with the consequences of having two boyfriends, with how much _talking_ seemed to be involved, even _during_ the sex. But Choji… Usually they just acted on instinct around him, usually that worked just fine. But he would have to learn to speak up, even if it wasn't often, because this was _really_ starting to get on the Nara's nerves. Shino realized this, and gently untangled his two lovers, pulling Choji away from the irritated Shikamaru. He immediately turned him around, so he wouldn't see his boyfriends annoyance, resting his hands on Choji's shoulders, his eyes intently trained on the Akimichi's face, he spoke softly, "Choji, you _can_. You can tell us anything, talk about anything, just like we can do the same with you. We love you. And you make us feel safe and secure. It worries me a little that it doesn't seem like the same holds true for you. However, that is an issue that I would prefer to address some other time. Right now, please, Choji just… Trust us." 

"I _do_ trust you, and you make me feel safe, too. But… I can't… _say_ it, besides…" 

"Besides, _what_ , Choj…" Shikamaru tried to ban the frustration out of his voice, but he couldn't, this was just more than the Nara could take right now… 

"I'm sorry…" Shoulders slumped, as tears began to fill Choji's eyes. Shino shot Shikamaru a frown, before pulling his other boyfriend in for a hug, rubbing the Akimichi's back. 

When the sobs finally stopped again, he pulled back a little, "Are you alright, Honey?" 

"Ye-yes… I just… I'm _sorry_ , I just don't think like you guys do…" He sniffed, wiping a hand under his nose. Shikamaru appeared next to him, tissue in hand. 

"Here, I'm sorry Choji. I shouldn't have gotten upset with you. It's not like you're doing anything wrong, or if I'm actually even really upset with you. It's just that… I kind of want the same thing you want; for everyone to enjoy themselves. Whether that be while we make out, or while we fuck or even just talking or going out to dinner. I know that sometimes there's stuff that we have to talk about that's a little awkward, and personally, I always just try to get that over with as soon as possible, because I don't want to dwell on the… _less fun_ bits of being with you guys. And I think that's why I got upset. Because you were uncomfortable, but instead of just saying whatever it was you _wanted_ to say, you dragged it out. And that made it hard for me, because I just want everything to be fun again. I know it's a little childish, but… That's me, Pumpkin. I just want to get the troublesome stuff over with." 

"I know…" He wiped his eyes, stepping back a little before he blew his nose, "I know that's how you think. But I can't. Because I automatically try to avoid the awkward stuff. You're stronger; at least you want to go through it, even if it's at double pace. And Shino is even stronger than that, because he just _does_ it. But I don't really know how to… And… It's just… I don't think I could… You know, even _ask_ it of you…" His voice trailed off as he turned away from them. 

"Ask what of us, Honey?" Shino's tone was even, calm. But on the inside his mind was racing.  
 _What does he want? Is it possible I misjudged him? Could it be that Choji has a side to him that could potentially frighten us? Is it something unethical or some sort of fetish? I've seen a few of those…  
No. This is Choji Akimichi. I'm sure it will be fine.  
_

"It's… Not _bad_ or anything… Actually happened before…" Choji spoke so softly that they could barely hear him, but neither boy moved closer, understanding that would only serve to make it harder on their lover, "But… I mean, we were _really_ drunk, so… I'm not sure if, without sake…" 

"Buttercup, I think that night is vague for all of us, though I did not drink as much as you two did. Could you please tell us what moment you're thinking about, because there were… _Many_ ," He chuckled, "A few of which I'd rather not repeat, like hitting my head against the floor because Loverboy is so eager to push me down…" 

"No… Nothing like that… But… I know that some guys don't like it, and… Honestly, I don't think _I_ would, so… I can't really ask." 

Shikamaru closed his eyes, letting his mind wander over what he could remember from the events of that night, it could still be a number of things… "So… You want _us_ to do something, that _you_ rather wouldn't, meaning you'd like to _watch_ us, am I right so far?" 

Choji only nodded, fumbling with the tissue in his hands. It had basically been torn to shreds by this point, but the boy didn't seem to notice the white fluff falling to the floor. Shino did, and even though he really didn't like it, he said nothing about it, instead turning to Shikamaru, "This is like a puzzle, Loverboy," He gave a small smile, "So… What can the two of us do, that we _did_ in our alcohol induced stupor, that Buttercup _doesn't_ want to do, but he _could_ watch?" 

The Nara quirked one eyebrow, "Not an awful lot comes to mind… I was way too far gone that night. I seriously only really remember… Well, that it hurt, then. And kissing you, there was something about shirts, too… But I have no idea what happened with them or anything…" 

Shino chuckled, "I caught Buttercups shirt, and I _thought_ I was being inconspicuous when I smelled at it, but you noticed anyway, and threw your own shirt with the order to smell that too. And then you came over to smell mine, but you toppled over and… Well…" He blushed, "Buried your face against my, eh, erection…" 

Choji froze, but neither of his boyfriends realized. 

"I don't remember that… Damn! I got so close to your dick and I can't fucking _remember_ it? I've been thinking about all the things I'd like to do with you _and_ your dick almost every morning for fucking _years_ …" 

Choji's interest piqued, but neither of his boyfriends noticed. 

"Like what, Loverboy?" There was a chuckle in Shino's voice. 

"Hmmm… I think I've done most of it by now…" 

Choji's shoulders slumped, and _this_ time, Shikamaru noticed. 

"Whoah, Choj? What's wrong?" 

"Nothing…" 

Shino walked over to him, placing a hand over Choji's to still the frantic tearing at the paper tissue, "Buttercup, please…" He sighed softly, "So it is something that we did then, but haven't done since, correct?" 

The tiniest of nods answered him. 

"But, Honey, we do not remember. Which, in fact, may be why it has not been repeated since. Truly, the only regret I have from that night was unintentionally hurting Shikamaru, but I am fairly sure that is not what you're talking about." 

"It's not…" Choji turned away again, "But it _has_ been repeated, sort of…" 

"Just not between Sexy and me?" 

Another tiny nod. 

"So… Between Sexy and you?" 

"Loverboy, that would be the only plausible assumption…" 

"Just covering the bases," Shikamaru walked over, throwing an arm around Shino, "Pumpkin… What? You want me to beg you on my knees?" He immediately dropped down, eyes big and bright, "Like this, master?" His tone playful, a smirk on his face. Choji chuckled. 

"Eh… Almost…" He swallowed, but couldn't get the words out of his mouth. Shino, however, had finally figured it out, and he had _no_ problem with voicing his lover's request. 

"So you want Loverboy to suck me off?" 

Choji almost jumped up, wide-eyed he brought up his hands, "I… Eh…" 

Shikamaru chuckled, "Why didn't you just _say_ so? If you want me on my knees so bad, all you ever have to do is propose I suck some cock," He blinked, "Oh wow… That sounded dirty… The bloody pervert's rubbing off on me guys, I take _no_ responsibility for that remark," He smirked, "Even though it's funny…" 

"I understand Honey's trepidation a little better now, though. There are quite a few who would rather not give another man a blowjob…" 

Shikamaru made himself a little more comfortable on the floor, crossing his legs as he leaned back on his hands, "Yeah, well… I've been wanting to try it for… Years, I guess. It's kind of a bummer that I _did_ try, and then _forgot…_ " He pulled a face, "I blame the sake…" Choji crouched behind him, wrapping his arms around the Nara's frame, snuggling up to him, "I think we _all_ do, Cutypie… But without the sake, I wouldn't have you two, so… I'm also happy about it." _  
_

Shino sat down on the floor too, across from Shikamaru, he studied the Nara for a few moments, "Loverboy… I understand that you'd like to try this. And obviously Choji wants to see it happen… And I don't have a problem with that, however…" He seemed to have trouble pushing the words past his lips, his gaze dropping to Shikamaru's chest, "I… I _do_ remember that part of the night… Quite clearly. I… I just… You were drunk, Shikamaru, and… I'm sure that if you _hadn't_ been… Things could have easily turned out different…" 

"What do you mean? I just _said_ I want to try it out, that I'm bummed I forgot in the first place…" The Nara frowned lightly. 

Shino pinched his lip, "We decided we would talk openly, so… This is just a little embarrassing. No, actually, it is very embarrassing…" He looked away shyly, cheeks burning, "I… Remember your voice, the words you spoke, they… I came because of them, I…" He swallowed, " _Inside_ _you_ … And –" 

"You don't want to?" Shikamaru looked anxious, his tone worried. 

"I… _Do_. That's… I… It sounds silly, and I know it's… A little egotistical as well, but… If that's not an option, I…" Hunched over, he whispered, "It really hurts my pride if I can't…" 

Shikamaru blinked, looking up at Choji before looking back at Shino again. His head fell back as he laughed out loud, " _That's_ your problem?! Oh god! Shino, I _want_ you to come in my mouth! If anything, it'd hurt _my_ pride if you wouldn't!" 

Bright-red, Shino turned back at him, almost hissing as he spoke, very softly, "Not so loud! My mother… I can't let her hear this!" 

"So you don't want your mom to hear you like getting sucked off?" Choji giggled, "That's a little… _Off_ , Shino. She's heard Hotstuff cum twice now, heard us too, but hearing you want to cum in his mouth is too much?" 

"It is… There's… Once, not long after I informed them of my… _Preferance_ , she called me aside. So she could… My mother is _very_ against the concept of oral sex…" 

"For real?" Shikamaru's eyes shot open, "Why?" 

Shino muttered something under his breath, when he realized his boyfriends didn't understand, he spoke but a little louder, "She is very sure of the fact that mouths are only intended for food…" 

"Euh… Angelface? Then what's a kiss?" Choji had to bite back another giggle, he really didn't want to make it harder for Shino but, this was funny. 

"Barely acceptable…" He swallowed, "To be honest… I believe it would be best if we did not… Suck _anyone_ off under this roof…" 

"So if I were to suddenly get the urge to give Choji here what he's asking for and decide to rip your pants down –" 

"You _don't_!' Shino looked positively scared, " _Not_ here, Loverboy, I'm _begging_ you…" 


	29. Iruka knows what's best

AUTHORS NOTE: After slutty teens, let´s get back to headaches, straining relationships and best friends. I had little time for the last proofread, seeing how busy I am, but I kind of figured ´What the hell´. So if you see mistakes… Well, deal with it. Unless it´s a really big eyesore, then just drop me a mail and I´ll fix it when I have time.

##########...##########

 **Iruka knows what's best**

##########...##########

 _Tuesday, four-thirty PM, outside Iruka's apartment,  
_

_Wonder how Kakashi's doing now… I hope the headache's at least gone down to bearable, it should, but… Sometimes it just won't go away. I wonder if Gai's still here. I'm actually not sure what I'm hoping for; Gai, or no Gai… If he's here, that means that he's taking care of Kakashi like he promised. But if he's here, that also means that… Well, he's_ _ **here**_ _.  
Oh well, I guess I'm about to find out either way. Here goes.  
_

Iruka turned the lock, toeing of his sandals as soon as he stepped through the door. He noticed the third pair, realizing that Gai had to still be here. Either that, or something even weirder had happened and Kakashi had let a visitor in. Walking into the apartment, he was greeted by soft voices, he'd been incredibly silent – not wanting to disturb Kakashi if, in fact, his headache _hadn't_ subsided. So they most likely had _no_ idea he was home yet; he was early as well.  
Unable to resist temptation, Iruka held still, trying to listen in on the conversation between the two friends.  
 _I know I shouldn't, I know it's not right. But… Gai seems to know more than even_ _ **I**_ _do, and if I'm totally honest with myself… That hurts a little…  
_

"... Tomorrow night, right?" 

"Hmmm, do you think I should bring flowers with me?" 

"Gai," Kakashi chuckled softly, making Iruka feel relieved. If he was actually _chuckling,_ that meant that the headache had gone down, even if it was just a little, "How would I know? I don't do girls..." 

"You've had third dates, what did you bring your cute little chuunin on the third one?" 

_What the – Cute little chuunin?! How – I'm not… I_ _ **hate**_ _that guy!  
_

"Gai…" Kakashi drawled out, "You're making him blush…" 

"Oh, I know," The other man chuckled, "I just couldn't resist… It really _is_ cute how you think you can actually _hide_ back there, Iruka," He all but called. 

Iruka sighed, cheeks burning, he stepped into the room. Kakashi was sitting on the edge of the bed, calmly sipping his tea. He looked to be doing a little better. Gai was seated at the table, his body turned toward his silver-haired friend, one arm resting comfortably on the table. He looked over his shoulder, chuckling again as he caught sight of the color on Iruka's cheeks. 

"Gai… What are you still doing here…?" He sighed, resting his hands on his hips. 

"Like I said, taking care of your boyfriend until you're home, which you are. But I don't really feel like leaving yet," He gave the younger man a wide grin. 

"Why's that?" Iruka sighed again, Gai was even harder to figure out than Kakashi was. And _that_ was saying something... 

"Because," The older man chuckled, "I still don't know what Kakashi gave _you_ on your third date." 

"And why was that any of your concern?" Iruka frowned at the man, before turning his attention to the silver-haired man on the bed, "How are you feeling?" 

"Better, not exactly great yet, but I'll live, Love. Don't worry about me." 

"Kakashi, he's going to worry either way... Stop bluffing, please. No-one is buying it." 

"Fine," The silver-haired man sighed, "I'm just about holding it together..." 

Iruka nodded to himself, that seemed a little more in tune with what he saw. Walking over to the bed, he kneeled in front of his lover, "Have you eaten anything yet?" 

Kakashi only closed his eyes. 

"I take it that's a no?" 

"I'm sorry, Love..." 

"No... It's okay, I already knew you probably weren't going to eat..." He worried the inside of his lip for a little while, "But you really _should_ , Sweetheart, it's almost five o'clock. Think you can keep anything down?" 

"I don't think I even want to try, Babe... I'm _still_ nauseous, and I'm not even hungry, so..." 

Suddenly, Iruka couldn't take it anymore. Acting purely on instinct, he turned his head, "Gai, help me out here." 

The jounin chuckled, "Oh, _now_ I'm suddenly good enough?" He joked, before turning dead-serious, "But I've already tried, Iruka. I've been trying pretty much ever since he woke up... It's no use." 

Iruka scoffed, "Oh _sure_ it is! _You_ hold him down, and _I_ shove the damned porridge down his throat!" 

Behind him, the copy ninja winced, softly complaining about both the ruckus and the plan, but Iruka paid him no mind. 

Gai, on the other hand, seemed to agree with the silver-haired man, "Iruka... You can't seriously be thinking about force-feeding him, can you? He's a grown man, and he is _not_ going to simply drop dead from not eating for a day or so..." 

Iruka sighed, "It's not going to _be_ just a day or so, Gai... I thought you said you'd _seen_ it before. Twelve hours after he takes the medicine, if he's _still_ not feeling better, he's going to _stay_ like this for _at least_ three days. Longer still if he doesn't eat. So –" 

"Love... I _am_ feeling better, and could you please not talk about me like I'm not even here...?" Kakashi all but whined, bossy Iruka spelled trouble, _big_ trouble. Like getting force-fed, getting sponged down in the bathtub and – _worst_ of all – no sex. 

The brunette sighed once more before getting up. He crossed his arms before his chest, using his higher position to help him stare Gai down, "Listen Gai, you're either going to help me make sure he eats, or you're leaving." 

Gai's tone was soft as he spoke, concern laced into ever word, "If I'm not here, are you going to tie him up in order to feed him? Are you really prepared to go that far?" 

Behind the chuunin, Kakashi sighed, "No Gai, Iruka usually resorts to... _other_ tactics..." 

A quick grin flickered over Iruka's face, it looked almost evil, "Or you could just cooperate, Sweetheart. Make it easier on all of us." 

Kakashi frowned through the clouds of pain threatening to reoccupy his head, "I already told you Babe, I'm nauseous. What good is eating going to do if it's going to come right back out?" 

Iruka turned to him, "That's why I'm making porridge, Sweety. Just try, okay?" 

Another frown, "No." 

"Teenager." 

"Shut up." 

"No, eat." 

"Not happening." 

Iruka sighed, " _Fine_ , I'll call Lady Tsunade, then." 

"No, you don't." 

"Yes, I will. Unless you eat." 

"I feel _sick_. I can't –" 

" _Porridge_. Last chance, Kakashi," He took a few steps toward the door, taking care not to show his lover how anxious he felt. Calling Lady Tsunade was tough for _both_ of them. She would always ask questions like, 'Let me see those marks,' or 'What were you doing last night?' And she was _never_ satisfied with the short answers... 

" _Irukaaaa..."  
_

Gai almost chuckled, but managed to keep a straight face, "That's your tactic, Iruka? Calling the _doctor_?" 

Iruka shrugged, deliberately keeping his tone even, almost bored, "If I must." 

" _Trust_ me, Gai," The man on the bed sounded ominous, "It's a _lot_ worse than it sounds..." 

"Sweetheart, we've had this conversation before. I _will_ get her if you don't eat something," Iruka swallowed, worrying the inside of his lip. 

Kakashi slowly got up, walking past Iruka and into the kitchen. When he returned, he was holding a small piece of the tamagoyaki, holding it up so his lover would see, "Look," He stuffed the bite into his mouth. His face scrunched up in clear disgust, but the man managed to swallow somehow, "Happy now?" 

Iruka smiled wearily, his voice soft but strict, "Not unless you clear the plate, Sweetheart." 

Kakashi muttered a couple curses, before walking back to the kitchen. Iruka simply crossed his arms again, waiting. After a few minutes, Kakashi reappeared, plate in hand. There were only two bites left, and he made sure Iruka saw him eat them. 

"Right Sweety, now... Did you cover the rest up _very_ well? Because if you've just thrown it in the trash again, I'm _really_ disappointed..." 

Kakashi frowned, his voice a little hesitant when he tried to insist he ate all of it.  
Iruka just sighed again, shaking his head, "No Sweetheart, you didn't. For starters, you weren't gone long enough. Secondly, you're not looking like you're about to throw up, and thirdly... I'm just not that stupid, Sweety..." 

Gai just sat there, almost frozen in place.  
 _The 'cute little chuunin' is actually almost scary... How can he be so sure that my rival didn't eat them, though? Although, it sort of looks like they've been down this road before. I have never known about any of this, though. Kakashi has always told me that he would be fine in the morning. Did I really never check up on him the next day? No... I believe I didn't. And I call myself his friend...  
_

"Babe... Can't we just let it slide for once? I feel _sick_ , okay? How often do you actually hear me _admit_ to that?" 

"Definitely not often enough. But you're not getting out of eating so easily, Kakashi," Iruka walked over to his lover, pulling him into a gentle hug so he could rub little circles on the taller man's back, "Come on, just try it for me, okay?" He pleaded. 

Kakashi closed his eyes, leaning into Iruka's touch a little more, but his soft voice still sounded stubborn, "Iruka, I ate something already, now _please_ drop it..." 

Iruka glanced over at his unwelcome guest, Gai was calmly watching their little exchange – oh, how he wished the man would just _leave!_ Bringing his lips close to Kakashi's ear he whispered, so soft that Gai – _hopefully –_ couldn't hear it, "Then tell me what happened last night. Tell me and I won't pester you about food until tomorrow." 

The older man moaned, before slumping down, "Fine... Make the damned porridge..." 

For a brief moment, Iruka closed his eyes, defeated. Then, taking a deep breath, he gently untangled himself from their embrace. Relieving his lover of the now empty plate, he turned into the kitchen.  
 _Porridge it is..._

##########...##########

 _Tuesday, six-fifteen PM, Iruka's apartment,  
_

Kakashi had obviously tried his best to eat. He'd all but finished the porrodge when he turned away, his face scrunched up, clutching at his stomach. When he finally managed to speak again, he begged his boyfriend not to make him eat more. It broke Iruka's heart, always did on such occasions. Already seated beside his lover, he placed his hand on the man's lower back, gently rubbing circles, "It's okay, Sweetheart, you're done now, it's alright. I won't force you to eat more, it's enough now. You did really well, Sweety, I'm proud of you. I love you." 

Kakashi leaned against him, struggling to keep the food down. He closed his eyes, waiting for the food to sink back down. Gai had watched his friend's struggle, the loving way Iruka had kept coaxing him to eat one more bite, but also backed off the moment Kakashi really couldn't endure anymore. It brought a smile to the man's face, 

Suddenly, chocolate eyes shot up as Iruka looked at him intently. He made a small gesture with his head, ' _Please leave us for a minute_ '. So Gai picked up the bowl that Kakashi had nearly emptied, and the two plates that had once contained the steamed vegetables with white rice that Iruka had prepared for the two of them and brought them over to the kitchen to clean them. In the other room, he could hear Iruka softly speaking, but he couldn't make out the words. It didn't matter anyway, this was a moment between the two of them, and Iruka was who Kakashi needed right now. Gai sighed, if only Iruka knew how _much_ Kakashi needed him. 

"Sweetheart, I love you. You know that, right? I didn't make you eat because I want to hurt you, I only want to help, because I love you." 

"I know..." Kakashi muttered, swallowing again. 

"I'm sorry, Sweety, I really am." 

"I know..." Still muttering, he scrunched his eyes tight, fighting against the nausea. 

"How does your head feel?" 

"Stomach's worse now, head's still hell..." 

"I'm so sorry... I wish there was something I could do for you. If I could take it all away, I would, Kakashi." 

"I know... Iruka?" 

"Yes?" 

"Is is safe to assume sex is out of the question?" 

A small smile tucked at Iruka's lips, "Didn't you say you feel sick, Sweetheart?" 

"I do..." 

"And you _still_ want –" 

"It helps, Iruka... My head at least. If I can keep this down long enough to know it'll stay down... Please?" 

Iruka sighed, "I _did_ say I'd help you... But Sweetheart... I can't really see how it could work. You can hardly move, and if _I_ move, I'm going to make it worse as well, because that _still_ means that you move..." 

"I know... Gai is waiting..." 

"I know..." Iruka worried the inside of his lip for a moment, "Are you glad he was here today?" 

"Yeah... Why?" 

"Because," He turned to the kitchen, "Gai, come here for a sec, will you?" 

Kakashi raised his eyebrows, but said nothing as his friend walked back in, leaning against the wall a little uncomfortably. 

"I was hoping I could ask you a favour, Gai," Iruka looked up at the man, wishing with all his heart that he didn't have to ask this, but he would, for Kakashi. 

"Alright, go ahead," A little insecure what the younger man might want with him, Gai crossed his arms before his chest. 

"Could you come over tomorrow, before I leave for work? If he's still sick, I don't really want to leave him alone. And since you know already..." He could feel Kakashi freeze, he was probably staring at Gai, wide-eyed and confused, but Iruka didn't look at him, his eyes stayed fixed on Gai's face. 

"I'll be here, Iruka, if you feel comfortable with that." 

"I don't. But that doesn't really matter. You were here today, too, and that seems to have gone fine." 

"Don't tell me you didn't consider turning back. You were home early, as well." 

"I was, but mostly because I wanted to see how Kakashi was doing. And yes, I _did_ consider coming back, but I didn't. Like you said this morning, you're his friend. And I'm starting to think that maybe I should have a little more faith in Kakashi's friends," Iruka pulled a face, it had sounded like a better plan when he wasn't actually _looking_ at the spandex-clad jounin. 

"Babe... Could you please stop acting like I'm not here and sounding like you're just about ready to plan my funeral?" 

"I'm not gonna plan you're funeral, Sweetheart, there's a protocol of disposing of a shinobi's remains. But if you're accusing me of acting like you're gravely ill... You are." 

"Am not..." 

Gai sighed, placing his hands on his hips, "Shut up, Kakashi." 

Iruka couldn't help a small chuckle, containing it the moment he felt his boyfriend wince, "I'm sorry, Sweety, but... For once, Gai and I are on the same page while you're on another. It's _funny_ , I'm used to the position _you're_ in right now..." 

"No you're not... I don't hassle _you_ when you're dinner's trying to get back out..." 

Iruka smiled a little, "You're right, I'm sorry. But it's still funny." 

"Iruka? Shut up," Kakashi slowly pulled away from his lover, groaning softly as he straightened himself again, "Gai?" He looked up at his friend, "Thank you. Really. But..." He pulled a face, not sure how to get the man out of here, but pretty damn sure he wanted him gone now. 

"It's alright, Kakashi. I'll see you tomorrow," He nodded to Iruka, "Same time?" 

"If you could be here... Ten minutes earlier?" Iruka hated the thought of actually having to _deal_ with the man, but still... It would be better if he wasn't hurrying to get to work on time. 

"Sure. I'll see you tomorrow," With that the man left. When the front door softly closed behind Maito Gai, Kakashi turned to his boyfriend, a lewd smile on his face as he cocked his head ever so slightly to the side, "Babe, my tummy's holding up fine, and my cock is throbbing..."


	30. Unfinished affairs

AUTHORS NOTE: So… Here´s another chapter, not much smuttyness going on, and actually… Quite a bit of hurt… Still, hope you enjoy.

##########...##########

 **Unfinished affairs will lead to heartbreak**

##########...##########

 _Tuesday, twelve-thirty PM, Yakiniku Q,  
_

"So… Shino, there's one thing that's been bothering me a little… Just 'cause it doesn't make sense to me…" Shikamaru bit his lip, watching Choji busy himself with laying the meat on the grill. 

"What is it?" Shino tried to find some room for vegetables on the grill, but the Akimichi'd left none. 

"Well…" The Nara drawled, "That… eh, _thing_ that we discussed that we can't do at your place?" 

Shino nodded that he understood, "I'd rather not talk about that here, Shikamaru…" 

"Yeah, I get that, but… I don't understand how you say that we shouldn't ever… _There,_ but, the night the treasure hunt ended…" 

"I was too fatigued to think properly, Shikamaru, I thought that much would be clear…" The Aburame sighed, leaning back, "All I can say for myself is that it's something I really enjoy doing, and at the time… I went with my first instinct." 

Choji had found a little room for one more piece, beaming at Shino as he placed a mushroom there, but his tone was serious when he spoke, "But… Uhm, if we flip that…" 

"What we talked about earlier, you mean?" Shino smiled, turning the mushroom so it would be grilled evenly on both sides, "That, I definitely love too." 

"Not like I know what I'm doing, though, Precious, you're gonna have to guide me a little I'm afraid…" 

"That's alright, I already know that much," Shino winked at his raven-haired lover, but then realized that the boy couldn't see that because he had his sunglasses on, so he smiled, "If you like, I could tell you in great detail how… I like things. But, I believe I would prefer it if you figured it out for yourself. It's… _Hotter_ , that way…" Picking up the mushroom, he blew on it for a little while, before happily sticking the little bite in his mouth, chuckling as Choji immediately filled the free space with another piece of meat, before turning all the other pieces over. 

"Hots – uh, Shikamaru, how would you feel about your place? You have the eh… More room…" 

Shikamaru chuckled, "Pumpkin, I thought I made it clear that you can call me anything anytime?" 

"Maybe… But this is a busy restaurant, and –" 

"And nothing. We're out, aren't we? Unless… That doesn't still make you uncomfortable, does it?" The Nara looked at both his boyfriends, sitting across from him at the table. 

"It does not bother me, however, as I said before, as far as I am concerned there are… _Certain_ names that are out unless it's just the three of us." 

"I'm with Shino on that one… I mean, what you call him is… A little too much for public use, don't you think?" 

"Maybe… But that just leaves Precious… It's so boring to have only one name, so maybe I should think of more…" He looked up at the ceiling for a minute, thinking. And thus the Nara missed the look exchanged between his lovers. Later, there might be a time where he _really_ wished he'd caught it, so he could nip this in the butt, but he _didn't_ see it, and his boyfriends were not about to enlighten him.  
 _  
_

##########...##########

 _Tuesday, twelve-forty PM, Outside Yakiniku Q,  
_

Neji trailed a little behind his teammates, he'd been distancing himself from them even more than usual lately, and every attempt they made to strike up a conversation, or even to just get near him was met with a scowl and harsh words. So they let the Hyuga be. The other two were trying to decide on a place to have lunch – Neji couldn't care less. 

"Hey, how does barbeque sound? It's been a while…" Tenten sounded thoughtful, she wasn't the kind of girl who dieted much, but she _had_ noticed she'd gained a little weight lately, probably due to stress-eating because of Neji's recent attitude. She worried for him, but he also pissed her off. Causing the girl to drown her sorrows in ice cream and dango. Not a good idea. Still, barbeque _really_ sounded good to her right now, and Lee seemed to agree. They didn't bother asking their teammate, he would follow, and then eat about three bites. Sitting in silence for the duration of the meal, that's what they'd come to expect over the last couple of days. He'd been like this once before, but somehow he seemed worse than that time. Not that she could ask him what was wrong, so Tenten had decided to just ignore the Hyuga's awful mood. 

" _No_! We are _not_ setting food inside there!" Neji suddenly called out, causing his teammates to freeze in surprise. Tenten already had one foot in the door, opening it so she could get in. Which meant that the entire restaurant had just heard Neji Hyuga's outburst. He could just die from shame right now. 

There, inside, sat Shino. Together with those two pests. The Akimichi was stuffing his face and the Nara apparently tried for the 'cool genius' image, staring up at the ceiling. But not anymore, now, three pairs of eyes – along with the rest of the restaurant and the people on the street – were trained on Neji Hyuga. He could feel a hot blush creep up, but refused to show it, instead briskly turning away from the restaurant. He started walking in long strides, he would run, but his legs felt like jelly. Away, that was all the young Hyuga could think about, getting away from this place. _  
_

His teammates followed him, questioning him, but he ignored them. There was no way he could explain anyway, and he didn't feel like trying. So he just walked, turning into the some other restaurant, "Here, we will eat here." 

"Neji… What happened back there?" Tenten tried to touch him, but he brushed her off. 

"Just sit and eat. Don't bother me," He sat down, picking up a menu. Not that he cared, but at least he could use the paper to hide his face. His face, that was burning with anger, with shame, and, regrettably, with lust.  
 _How can he just calmly be sitting there? How can he just look so incredibly sexy sitting in a restaurant, doing nothing? How can he do that? Bring my blood to a boil just by being in my view? It is not fair. I love him. He should love me. He does, deep inside, I know he does. But then, why? Is this the easier route? Those two? That cannot be! I have always given him everything he could possibly want, and_ _ **they**_ _… They can never satisfy his needs. I know. I just saw it. That look… Those pests do not even understand what it means. My love… He needs me. I am the only one who can help him, he dares not even ask them. He asked me, used his precious words for me. That proves that he loves me, it also proves that he does not love them. If he did, he would have used those words. If he actually loved them, they would know. Or, maybe, he_ _ **did**_ _use the words, and they are too stupid to understand. To ignorant to see what he needs now. That must be it. They are not worthy of him.  
_

##########...##########

 _Tuesday, twelve-forty-five PM, Yakiniku Q,  
_

"Well… That asshole seemed pretty upset…" A smug grin appeared on the Nara's face. 

"Baby, please do not call him that. Even though you dislike him, he has never actually _wronged_ either of you…" 

"He did, though, he slept with you. And you're ours now, and he refuses to accept that. You can see it in the way he looks at you, at _us_. I hate him, Shino. I really, thoroughly, _hate_ the guy. Didn't use to, but _that_ , just now… I hate him." 

"Hotstuff, _please_ … Remember how _we_ felt when we woke up and Shino wasn't there? That's what _he's_ going through every day. Only he knows for _sure_ that Shino's not coming back. With the added injury of seeing him walk around the village with us. Can't you imagine how that must make him feel? I kind of feel sorry for him…" 

Shikamaru stared at Choji, another bite halfway up to his mouth – forgotten, " _Don't_ tell me you're taking _his_ side?!" 

"I'm _not_ though. I'm just not picking either side. Neji's in pain, and we're part of the cause. But he still manages to look at my boyfriend as if he _owns_ him, so… I can't accept that. But I won't hate him for it either. And I don't like hearing you say that you do, Shikamaru, that's all I'm saying about it." 

Shino sat silently, listening to his boyfriends' almost argument, unsure how _he_ felt about all this. Both of them had a valid point, and Neji…  
 _I really hurt him that time. I called out Shikamaru's name, while I knew,_ _ **knew**_ _that Neji was so much in love with me it burned him. And after that, I simply left. I never looked back, even though he's tried to talk to me many times since, I always found some excuse to get away. I was not fair to him. No matter my feelings about him, or about my boyfriends, I did not treat Neji Hyuga fairly. I never even properly broke up with him. I just up and left. I feel like a horrible person now. If there was a way… But no, I cannot give Neji what he wants, and I am quite certain that if I go to talk to him now, apologize for the way I treated him… It would not go over well with_ _ **either**_ _of my boyfriends. Choji_ _ **might**_ _understand if I explain, though he would still not like it. And Shikamaru… If I speak with Neji now, we may never recover from that blow.  
If only I had not been such a coward back then… Maybe none of this would have ever even happened… But it did, and there is no changing that fact or going around it. I almost wish I could talk to Kakashi-sensei and Iruka-sensei about it, but Kakashi-sensei would only scold me, and Iruka-sensei would be disappointed in me… I just wish I knew what to do at this point…  
_

"Shino?" Choji's voice was hesitant as he pulled the Kekaichu-handler from his thoughts, "Are you alright, Shino? You look like you're about to cry…" 

"I might be… This whole situation with Ne- with him, it is all my fault. I never even properly broke things off with him, I just left. I believe that things might have turned out different if, back then, I would have had the courage to face him," He bowed his head, thinking he'd probably said too much, but at the same time knowing he hadn't quite said enough yet. 

"Tsch! Who cares about him anyway!" Shikamaru scoffed. 

'I do,' Shino wanted nothing more in that moment than to say those two words, but he knew that would only serve to make things worse, so he said nothing, instead settling his gaze on the street, watching the people pass by. They didn't know about the young man's troubles, they didn't judge him for being a terrible person. Somehow, it comforted him a little. _  
_

##########...##########

 _Tuesday, one-thirty-five PM, Jounin Lounge,  
_

"So Asuma, you still beating yourself up over how you reacted to those three?" Genma asked as the bearded jounin walked in, his arm draped around his girlfriend. 

"Genma…" He sighed, "I just wish I could be a little easier sometimes, like Kakashi…" 

"Whoah!" Raidou actually jumped off the couch, "Did I _really_ just hear you say you wish you were a little more like _Kakashi Hatake?!_ The number one perverted, absent-minded, unreliable jounin?" 

Genma chuckled, "He's not unreliable, Rai…" 

"He was supposed to be here… He's got to learn to show up on time like everyone else…" 

"He won't. Just deal with it," The senbon swished from left to right, "Besides, he's not comin' today. Just got word from Lady Hokage. Kakashi is excused from today's meeting, Gai too." 

"They off having another stupid challenge?" 

Gemna chuckled, "Nah Kurenai, the village isn't being destroyed by them so I figure something else's goin' on. Probably an off-the-books mission…" 

"Fine," Asuma sat down, "But without the two of them, there isn't really much reason to be here, now is there? This was supposed to be about how to deal with those three, and Neji's recent attitude towards them. So, we need Gai at least, and Kakashi's been… Keeping an eye on them, so…" 

Kurenai sat down next to him, "Well, we can still discuss the first part. Shino's on my team, Shikamaru and Choji are on yours," She smiled at her lover, cocking her head a little, "Maybe we could have a joined training session sometime, could be fun to see how my trackers do against your little mindfuckers…" 

"They're not _mindfuckers!_ Only Ino has the mind-control jutsu… But you're right, training together could be fun, means _we_ get to spend some extra time together as well…" 

"Yeah, but guys, this isn't about training," Genma interrupted, "This is about the real thing, actual missions. Do you think they can still work together like you two seem to manage? We can't have them abandoning the fight because their boyfriend's in a little trouble…" 

"They wouldn't. Well… Choji would," Asuma said thoughtfully, "But Choji'll run to _anyone_ in distress, so that's not new. But as far as I know, which is Shikamaru and Choji, they're both confident in their own abilities. They know how much they can handle, and they know how much the others can handle, or so I hope…" 

"You mean Shino?" Kurenai questioned, "Shino's probably the _most_ confident of the three, and I know he has the utmost confidence in the others as well. But maybe they don't really see _him_ as someone who can take care of himself…" 

Raidou made himself a little more comfortable on the couch, placing his left ankle on his right knee, "Well, ya gotta admit he doesn't _look_ it…" 

"You're wrong," Genma looked at his friend with humor in his eyes, "Don't ever get on an Aburame's bad side, that's all I'm saying. And Shino's pretty talented, even given his heritage… Some day he'll probably outshine his dad…" 

"Yeah… But do his… eh, _boyfriends_ know that?" 

"Woah, watch it there, Asuma," Genma grinned, "You might just choke on the word…" 

"Shut up. I'm fine with it, it's just…" He sighed, "It's _three guys_ , that's weird, isn't it?" 

"I've seen weirder…" The senbon got pushed to the other side, "Was on a mission once, don't really remember where, but… Was this huge house… Lived like, I dunno, two dozen people? All in one relationship. Now _that_ , my friend, was weird." 

" _No,_ " Asuma emphasized the word, " _That_ is disgusting. _This_ … Is gonna take some getting used to…" 

"Like Kakashi and Iruka?" Raidou asked, "How's that going for ya?" 

"Guys…" Gemna sighed, "We were having a _meeting_ here…" 

"And we'll get back to that in a minute, Genma. First, I gotta answer Raidou's question because I want to clear up any misunderstandings here and now. I _don't_ have a problem with Kakashi and Iruka and I never did. I just don't like it when people suddenly dump relationship stuff on me and expect me to reply immediately. I need a little time to adjust, same as when you and Anko got together – " 

"That ended _years_ ago!" 

"I know, Raidou, but it _did_ take me a couple days to get used to the idea of seeing the two of you together… Anyway, the only problem I have with _those_ two is… Well, I can't help but think Kakashi's taking advantage of the guy. I mean, Iruka's so _innocent._ " 

"Nope," Genma chuckled, "You've got that part backwards… Iruka isn't the perfect little schoolteacher everyone takes him for, you know. Not behind closed doors at least. He dated a friend of mine for a little while… _Man,_ the stories I heard…" 

"Oh?" Kurnai leaned forward, " _Do_ tell…" 

"What part of this is a meeting did you guys not get?" Gemna leaned back, "Besides, I'm not one to gossip like you three…" 

"Oh _come on,_ Genma!" A huge grin was plastered across the scarred man's face, "I know you're just _dying_ to tell us! We'll get back to the boring stuff after, I _promise_." 

Another sight emanated from the man with the senbon, swishing it to the other side once more, " _Fine_ , I'll give you _one_ story. And that'll be the end of it. So…" He thought for a minute, "Yeah, that one would prove my point just fine…" 

##########...##########

 _Tuesday, two-fifteen PM, Konoha streets,  
_

"Loverboy, we're going to have to face your father again at _some_ point…" 

"Yeah… I know. But can't we just postpone that until we're eighteen or something? We'll just pop in and tell 'm we found ourselves our own place and we just came to get my stuff, and bye-bye dad!" He did a little wave, as if his father was really standing before them, "That sounds like a plan to me…" 

"Hotstuff… That's _ridiculous_ … And either way, I'm not going to cooperate with a stupid plan like that. I kind of like you dad, so I don't want to hurt him by just not showing up for years…" 

"Not to mention your mother. She would surely miss you too." 

"Hah," Shikamaru said sarcastically, "She's still got my dad to whip, right? Here's _one_ Nara that refuses to let that woman rule his life." 

"Loverboy, I am sure you are overreacting. I highly doubt she is ruling Shikaku's life…" 

"Hell yeah, he is! Whatever _she_ says goes, no matter what the guy wants, her will is the fucking _law._ D'you know what that's like, Precious? He'll say one thing, and she'll say something else – which'll make _no_ sense at all – and she'll _still_ win!" 

"So all we have to do," Shino smiled wickedly, "Is make sure that your mother loves us." 

"Good luck…" Shikamaru sounded dejected. 

"No problem, Loverboy. She already adores Choji, and she appears to have taken a liking to me as well. It's _you_ she seems to have a problem with…" 

" _Gee,_ Sexy… Thanks…" 

"Don't call me that outside." 

"Then don't tell me my mother doesn't like me. It's unsettling…" 

"My father and mother like you," Shino said reassuringly, "And I'm sure Buttercup's parents do too." 

"She's my _mother,_ Shino! She may be a witch and I usually try to steer clear of her, but that doesn't mean she's allowed to have issues with _me…_ " He whined. 

Choji chuckled, hugging the Nara tight for a few moments, "Let's go ask her, shall we?" _  
_


	31. Yoshino's surprise

AUTHORS NOTE: Okay, this is another long one. And once again: No smut xD  
I seem to only write long chappies when there's no smut… There's some _attempt_ at smut though xD 

And once again I'm beginning to feel that I've lost my readers…. Is it the hurt? Is it the lack of proper smut? Is it the holidays? I have no idea… 

##########...##########

 **Yoshino's surprise**

##########...##########

 _Tuesday, two-forty-five PM, Nara Kitchen,  
_

Yoshino Nara looked up as the front door opened, listening intently for a couple of seconds before realizing it was just her son with some friends. Wait, no, his _boyfriends._ The woman smiled, she'd never expected any of this, but it didn't really matter. Although, if she'd known what was about to go down that night, she probably would have stayed over at a friend's house. 

"Good afternoon, boys!" She called out from the kitchen, "You thirsty?" 

She could hear one of them whisper something, but couldn't make it out. She _could_ , however, hear her son's reply. He was groaning like he was thoroughly annoyed, she tried to suppress a smile, "That's not because she likes _me_ , Sexy… It's 'cause she apparently likes the two of _you_ …" 

"Don't call me that," Shino's voice.  
 _So Shikamaru calls him 'Sexy'? Wow… That can't go over too well with an Aburame…  
_

"We're indoors, aren't we?" 

"We are also within earshot of your mother. And I do _not_ care for other people hearing you call me that," His tone was strict, and once again, the woman found herself suppressing a smile. 

"Boys? I asked you something, can you at least tell me If you're thirsty or not? All that muttering in the hallway is starting to annoy me!"  
 _Now at least Shino won't think I heard them, poor boy. Falling in love with my son, he's going to have to endure a_ _ **lot**_ _more…  
_ She pulled a face, filling the kettle. Whether _they_ wanted tea or not, she did. 

"Yeah, Yoshino, we're coming!" Choji called out, and she could hear the small struggle as he pulled both the other boys into the kitchen. 

"Buttercup…" 

" _Pumpkin…_ " 

_Cute names for a cute boy, huh? Awww…._  
Yoshino smiled behind her hair.  
She watched the Akimichi enter the kitchen backwards, pulling both the others in by their arms.  
"I just put the kettle on if you'd like tea, I still need to get the groceries though, so there's only orange juice and milk in the fridge." 

Choji gave her a wide smile, "Milk, please!" 

Shikamaru muttered something about having the same, and Shino agreed as well. So she promptly filled three glasses, squeezing the last out of the carton. As she brought the glasses over, the kettle whistled, so she quickly returned to get herself a cup of tea. She didn't pay much attention to the boys, and when she returned to the table, she was surprised to find her son gloomily sipping his drink while the others exchanged worried and annoyed looks, "Okay, what the hell is wrong _this_ time?" She asked, getting a little annoyed herself. 

Choji shot her an anxious look as Shino nudged Shikamaru a few times, urging him to speak up about something. Yoshino just sighed, placing her cup on the table across from the three as she sat down. 

Suddenly, the Aburame looked up at her, "Shikamaru seems convinced you don't like him very much," He stated calmly. 

Her son's reaction came immediately, shoving his boyfriend roughly, he hissed, " _Keep your stupid mouth shut!_ "As he tried his best to glance at his mother inconspicuously. 

Her eyebrows raised themselves – she certainly had nothing to do with it, "Why the hell would you even _think_ that?! You're my _son_. Is this because of," She waved her hand at them, "You three?" 

"No…" He still didn't look at her, instead toying with the half-empty glass of milk before him, "But… You're always yelling at me, at dad too…" 

"Because I _love_ the two of you, Shikamaru!" She was exasperated, "Did you _really_ think it could be _anything else?_ " 

He shrugged, looking uncomfortable. Shino looked up at the ceiling and Choji hid behind his glass, he was nursing his last sip, obviously trying to give himself something to do. 

"Actually…" The Aburame sounded thoughtful and a little guilty, "This is my doing. I teased him about it earlier. I did not know it was a sensitive subject…" 

"Well, to be fair, Shino, neither did I… But I _do_ love you, Shikamaru. I'm just… A little strict, I guess. And I don't even yell," She frowned, "I try to get my point across because neither of you men ever want to _listen._ " 

"Because you yell…" 

"I do _not_ yell!" 

"Yes you do, you're doing it now…" 

"No, I _don't_! You insolent little – Okay… Maybe you're a _little_ right…" She worried the inside of her lip, "I'm sorry." 

He shrugged again, studying his fingers as he let them wander the rim of his glass, "Whatever." 

She could feel the irritation bubble up again, but contained it, instead asking something else that had been on her mind, "So… Which one of you came up with the idea to have Paccun go door to door to tell us you were safe?" 

"Actually, sending Paccun was Iruka-sensei's idea, however, the thought that we _should_ inform our parents of our whereabouts was Shikamaru's," Shino answered her. 

"Aha… Well, thanks anyway. It was a comforting thought to know where you were. Did Kakashi honestly walk you three home, though? And where did you spend the night?" 

"He did, we spend the night at my house. Is it that surprising that Kakashi-sensei walked us home, though? He did make his summon promise in his name that he would…" Shino cocked his head, looking at her questioningly. 

She chuckled, "The man isn't exactly known for being responsible, Shino. If anyone, I'd say _Iruka_ would be the one to walk up with you…" 

"Kakashi-sensei probably thought that he was better suited for the protection detail…" Shikamaru's tone was laced with sarcasm. 

"Maybe so, Lo- Shikamaru, but – " 

"Shino!" He frowned, "We literally _just_ talked about this! Stop being so awkward, damnit!" 

"Shikamaru… She is your mother…" 

"I don't care," He muttered, "It's the principal of the thing…" 

" _Fine,_ " She watched the Aburame sigh, "Though I forgot what I was about to say…" 

Yoshino smiled at him, "Well, I don't know, Shino. Something about how Kakashi's better suited for protection detail than Iruka is, but I guess I actually agree with Shikamaru on that. Even though he was just being sarcastic." 

"Yes. He was. That was my point. Iruka-sensei is an accomplished shinobi, though not as much as Kakashi-sensei is," He frowned at Shikamaru a little, but her son didn't seem to notice. Which probably meant he was just ignoring the boy. 

"But, Shino… We don't really need protecting, do we? I mean, that's what Shikamaru meant, isn't it?" 

"We inadvertently led people to believe we might have gotten ourselves _beaten up_ , Buttercup, I'm sure all of them would disagree with both you and Shi – _fine,_ Loverboy." 

She suppressed another chuckle, the Aburame looked positively annoyed right now. It was clear to her that he didn't feel like using a pet name when he was annoyed, but he was obviously trying to avoid further conflict. Clearly, the adult in _this_ relationship was Shino… 

"Whatever. We're not little kids," He frowned again, tipping back his milk with the clear intention of getting out of here, but she wouldn't let him. 

"No, Shikamaru, you're not. You made that quite clear the night the three of you got so utterly drunk you forgot what a light sleeper I am…" 

They stared at her, all three of them. Eyes wide, shocked expressions on their faces. This time, she allowed the chuckle to come out, "Did you _honestly_ believe I'd never say another word about it? You three kept me up _all night_ , and then, for some reason, both Kakashi _and_ your father insisted I wouldn't talk about it ever again. Which is something I do _not_ intent to hold myself to. Let me make this absolutely clear, boys. If I _ever_ catch you with sake or any other alcoholic beverage _ever_ _again_ , you're going to wish you were dead. Am I making myself clear?" 

Shino swallowed, "Inescapably." 

Choji stared at his empty glass, "Undeniably." 

Shikamaru looked at her with a naughty smirk on his face, "I dunno, could you maybe rephrase?"

She laughed, shaking her head at her obstinate son. Just when she'd calmed down again, Shino spoke up, with that clear voice that seemed to predict some awkward statement leaving his lips without any hesitation, "So you do not have a problem with our activities so long as they are done sober?" 

Blinking, she looked at the boy, "Wow… Shikaku was right, you really _are_ a little unsettling sometimes…" She said softly. 

"That was not an answer to my question, though," He frowned lightly, "Was I not clear? I meant –" 

"Oh no, Shino! I know what you meant. Just… Most people don't say things point blank like that…" 

Choji chuckled, "Maybe they should, then no-one would stare at Shino like that… Although this is actually a little funny," He blushed, but didn't make any attempt to hide that fact, instead leaning over the table a little to look at Shino, "You can make _anyone_ uncomfortable, can't you?" 

"I have yet to put Kakashi-sensei ill at ease…" 

"He's a _pervert_ , Precious, you'd have to get _worse_ than him in order to faze the guy… And I'd rather you didn't…" 

"Very well, then. I will suffice by unsettling both your parents for the time being," A small half-smirk crept across his face, turning back, he looked at her, "You still did not answer my question, however." 

"Uh… I didn't, did I? I can't say I don't have a problem with it, not when I have no idea if I'll be able to sleep… So, get me a pair of decent earplugs and _then_ we'll revisit the subject, alright?" She smirked back at him. 

"I will take that as a 'no', then. So long as we find a _really_ good set of earplugs…" He chuckled lightly, "Which might prove to be a problem…" 

Choji shrugged, picking up his glass and walking over to the kitchen area, "It's _his_ mom, I say, let Hotstuff deal with it…" He opened the fridge, only to frown when he realized the milk was all gone. So he started searching the cabinets instead. 

Yoshino smiled, Choji surely felt at home here, if he felt he could just go through her cabinets like that. But she didn't mind, he'd been hanging out here with Shikamaru since before they even entered the academy. In a way, she was even closer with him than she was with her own son. Which just left Shino. He seemed to be an odd addition to the duo, and she couldn't quite figure out how he fit in. Even though _they_ clearly seemed to understand… 

"Why the hell is it _my_ problem?" 

"Because, as Choji pointed out, she is _your_ mother. If it were mine, it would be _my_ problem." 

"But _your_ mom makes it harder on _all_ of us… Dumping this on me just 'cause she's mine isn't even fair!" 

Yoshino bit back a chuckle, it seemed like they'd forgotten all about her presence. 

Choji picked a bag of potato chips out of the cupboard, "Don't whine, Hotstuff…" 

"Buuut whyyy the hell _noooot_ ….?" He exaggerated, pulling his face in a pout. 

Shino sighed, "Because it is unbecoming, Shikamaru Nara. That is why." 

"Actually, Cutypie just hurt my ears…" The bag got ripped open, and the Akimichi started to happily munch away on the treat. 

"That too," Shino conceded. 

"Tsch!" Their boyfriend scoffed, slouching down in his chair, "It's _still_ not fair…" 

Yoshino's voice was strict, "Don't slouch, Shikamaru. It's bad for your back," As the boy quickly shifted, she chuckled a little, her tone lighthearted as she continued, "Just give the responsibility for the earplugs to whoever is the loudest." 

Shikamaru froze, before turning bright-red. Both his boyfriends looked at him, Choji still munching, while Shino smirked, "We did." 

"Definitely did," The Akimichi sauntered over, sitting back down next to Shikamaru, "So it's really the _only_ fair thing to do, Cutypie…" He smiled brightly, continuing to devour the chips. 

She chuckled again, throwing her hands up, "Well Shikamaru, seems like they thought of everything… I'm off to the market to get the groceries. Are you three having dinner here?" 

"Might as well, wouldn't exactly be fair to make Kakashi pay for us when it's our fault he started the damn thing in the first place…" 

Choji giggled, "We never said he had to pay for restaurant dinners though…" 

"True, however, he seemed quite annoyed about the mission he has to take because of it. And he and Iruka-sensei have done a lot for us, we already agreed on that –" 

"And went _broke_ because of it," Shikamaru interjected. 

"That does not matter, Baby. Fact remains –" 

"I wasn't _arguing_ with you, Precious. I just said… Whatever. Yeah, we're staying here," Looking up at his mother, the boy smirked, blushing a little as he muttered, "Love you, mom." 

She smiled back at him, but didn't say anything else, instead turning for the door.  
After the woman had left, Shikamaru shifted a little uncomfortably before getting up, "You coming?" He said almost grumpily, not looking at either of them. 

Shino chuckled, "Baby, did you really just get embarrassed by telling your mother you love her?" 

The Nara looked away, "No… Of course not, don't be stupid." 

He missed the look his boyfriends shot each other, but when they got up, he started walking without so much as a glance back. 

"Wait Loverboy," Shino frowned, "It's not polite to just leave the glasses." 

"Whatever," Shikamaru sighed, turning around but not looking at Shino, "Could you please stop being so fucking perfect all the time?" 

Shino quirked one eyebrow, "How am I being perfect? I'm basically a man-whore. I've just been drilled into proper etiquette…" 

Suddenly, the Nara burst out laughing, "Say _what?!_ Man-whore? Oh god… Right," A few more chuckles shook him, "I just kinda thought you were trying to get people to accept you or something by doing the chores…" 

"I am not. It is nice when they appreciate it, but that is not why I help out. I have been raised to be considerate and to be a gentleman. Unfortunately," He pulled a face, "Only _some_ of it stuck," He quickly collected the glasses, bringing them over to the sink to wash them. Surprised when Shikamaru followed him and grabbed a towel. 

"What?" 

"You just complained that I am too perfect, and now you're helping me out?" 

"Yeah, well… You're not just doing it to win over my mom, so… Besides, you kinda have a point. I just… Didn't want to… I dunno," He bit his lip, looking away shyly. 

"It is alright, Baby," He shot the Nara a small smile before turning to the sink, softly speaking, his voice was barely audible over the sound of the running water, "I love you." 

##########...##########

 _Tuesday, four-forty PM, Nara Kitchen,  
_

As Yoshino Nara walked back into her kitchen, struggling with over a dozen bags, she all but froze in place. The table had been cleared, everything back in the proper cabinets. That, in itself was about as close to a miracle as Lord Third coming back to sip a cup of tea with her, but what was even _more_ surprising was the little box sitting on the counter. It was wrapped in purple, a red bow tied around it and a neatly folded note underneath. Yoshino all but dropped her bags, walking over to the little present. She carefully picked it up and unfolded the note; 

_Mom,  
Here's what we talked about, hope it's good enough.  
Also, Choji said he'd cook if that's okay with you, and Shino and I will take care of the dishes and stuff, so you can just relax. Take a bath or whatever.  
I love you,  
Shikamaru N.  
_

Tears filled her eyes as she read the last sentence over and over again. 'I love you.' It'd been years since her son had told her that, and today he didn't just say it out loud, he wrote it down as well. Maybe his relationship with Shino helped with that, she knew it wasn't Choji's doing.  
Eventually though, she put the paper aside, instead opening up the little box. Earplugs. She smiled again.  
 _Is this some not-so-subtle hint that they plan on going at it tonight?  
_

After placing both the box and the note on the table, she went to work unpacking the groceries, only stopping to call out a greeting when she heard her husband come in through the front door. 

"What's this?" 

Turning around, she saw that Shikaku had come into the kitchen and was now confusedly looking at the little gift and the note that she'd folded back. 

"Open the note, then the box. It's quite amazing…" She walked over, leaning on the table to see her husband's reaction. He did as told, first opening the note. At first, there was no change, then, presumably when he reached the second sentence, his eyes widened, and after that, his jaw simply dropped. 

"Woman, what the _hell_ did you do in order to get him to actually _write_ that _down_?" He looked up at her, amazed. 

"He said it, too," She smiled smugly, "I think it's Shino's doing, though. He seems to be a pretty good influence. 

He frowned, "Right… We'll see…" Putting both items back on the table, he moved away, "I still have work to do, and I have a dinner meeting with Lady Hokage, so I won't be home until after eight…" 

Yoshino sighed.  
 _It's not like they're doing anything wrong, Shikaku… Don't be so prejudiced.  
_ Shrugging, she got back to her work, humming a little tune.

##########...##########

 _Tuesday, four-thirty PM, Nara Kitchen,  
_

"Well, we made it back before Yoshino did," Choji was panting, but he smiled wide. 

"Yeah Pumpkin," Shikamaru, too, was a little out of breath, "Now all we can do is hope it's good enough…" 

"What did you write down, Baby? You kept shielding the note… Makes me curious." 

"I shielded the note, because it's none of your business," He placed a soft kiss on Shino's lips, "She's my mother, I talk to her… _Sometimes_. Anyway, I also wrote that Choji offered to cook and that we'll take care of the dishes, so when she gets back we have to go and check what's gonna be for dinner, right, Pumpkin?" 

"So that means we don't really have any time…" Choji pouted ever so slightly. 

"Are you that eager to get me on my knees?" The Nara smirked at him, throwing an arm around Shino. 

"I believe he is, Loverboy…" Shino's half-smirk appeared and it make Shikamaru go a little weak in the knees. He covered that up by bringing his other hand to the Aburame's crotch, rubbing gently. Shino gasped, "Ba-baby… I – _please…_ " 

Choji giggled a little self-consciously, "Hotstuff, that's a little mean… You know how easy it is to turn Angelface on…" 

"Indeed," Shino swallowed, bringing on hand to the Nara's with the intention to brush is away, but Choji wasn't done talking yet. 

"Do it, Hotstuff, drive him crazy," A wicked grin appeared on Choji's face. 

Both Shikamaru and Choji blinked up at the Akimichi, Shikamaru's hand all but freezing in place, "Pumpkin… You've got a pretty nasty side there, don't you…?" 

"Yep," He grinned, leaning back against the wall, clearly enjoying the situation he was putting his boyfriends in. 

"Loverboy, he's… Like this more often, usually after you have already fallen asleep…" 

"Oh?" He started massaging his boyfriend's groin again, "Next time," He purred, "Wake me up, alright, Precious?" 

Shino somehow managed to nod, panting heavily as he unconsciously pushed himself against the Nara's hand. He moaned softly, suddenly freezing in place as they heard the front door open. All three boys stayed quiet, hearing Yoshino mutter a little while she carried the bags inside. Softly complaining about one tearing, and how heavy everything was. Even though Shino's first instinct told him to go over and help the woman, he held himself back, not wanting to show himself to her sporting a full erection. So they just listened silently, hearing a loud bang as she quickly set the bags down. Then it was quiet for almost ten minutes before the noises started again. 

"Guess, she read it…" Choji hesitantly looked at Shikamaru, the boy seemed to be waiting for something, but nothing happened. Eventually he sighed, removing his hand from Shino and dropping himself on his back on the bed. 

"Eh… Loverboy?" Shino all but whispered, "Did we or did we not discuss the topic of getting me worked up and then walking away?" He stood stiffly, not daring to move a muscle. 

"I guess we did…" Shikamaru sat back up, a wicked grin on his face, "How about we see what happens when I do just that?" 

"I'd rather not…" He swallowed, "This is fairly uncomfortable…" 

But Choji's smile matched Shikamaru's perfectly, walking over he grabbed Shino's shoulders, turning the Aburame so he was facing the bed before sitting down next to his other boyfriend. The two grinned up at him, crossing their legs and leaning back on their hands in perfect synchronism. 

"I don't think I like where this is going…" Shino said hesitantly. 

"Oh? Really? That's too bad, 'cause we _do_ like it, Sexy." 

"If you've got a problem with it, you should fix that, don't you think?" 

"I…" He closed his mouth. Opened it. Then closed it again. 

"What will it be, Sexy? You a true exhibitionist or what?" 

"Did we not just talk about being fair?" He whimpered, "This is… _Embarrassing_ …" 

Choji cocked his head, looking thoughtful, "Shino… Are we pushing it?" 

The Aburame swallowed, "Maybe… A _little_ … However it is more… Unexpected," He took a deep breath, looking Choji in the eyes as he undid his pants, letting them fall to the floor. He toyed with the hem of his briefs for a little while, looking a little nervous. But in time, he hooked his thumbs behind the fabric at his sides, slowly sliding them down. Bending over until his briefs were all the way down. For a moment, he stayed crouched, underwear around his ankles, thumbs still caught in the fabric. Just as Shikamaru got a little worried they _had_ pushed it too far, as he opened his mouth to speak, they heard Yoshino call out to Shikaku – clearly, the Aburame's hearing was a lot sharper than that of his boyfriends. 

" _Shit,_ " Shikamaru whispered, getting up to stand next to the door, "He's not coming in, Shino, don't worry…" 

"That is not actually what I am worried _about,_ Baby," He replied in the same hushed tone, "I am more worried either he or your mother is going to hear something. I just realized why we bought her the earplugs in the first place…" 

"Are you kidding me?" Shikamaru tried to stifle his chuckles, "You just _now_ realized that?" 

A little shamefully, the Aburame nodded, softly dropping himself to sit on the floor. At least the _position_ was a little more comfortable, even though his cock was still throbbing. 

Choji giggled, covering his mouth with both hands in an attempt not to make a sound. They heard Shikaku leave, heard Yoshino get back to her groceries, but still they tried to stifle their laugher, Shino had joined in now, too, and the three lovers were shaking with uncontrollable chuckles, doing their utmost best not to make a sound. Shikamaru had slumped down, sitting on the floor as he half-leaned against the wall. 

_-Knock- knock- knock-  
_ "Boys? Are you alright in there? You went so quiet all of the sudden…" 

Shikamaru's head shot up, wide-eyed he stared at Shino, the Aburame stared back, just as unable to speak up as Shikamaru was. Choji, on the other hand, was literally rolling back and forth over the bed, jamming his fist in his mouth to keep from laughing out loud. 

"Boys?" Her tone was worried now, and Shino watched in horror as the door slid open. It didn't get too far though, as Shikamaru immediately placed his foot against it, preventing his mother from opening the door more than a hair's breadth. 

"What's going on in there? For crying out loud will you just _talk_ to me? Wait, you don't have any more sake in there, do you?!" Another pull at the door, but Shikamaru made sure it wouldn't budge, biting down on his fist to keep from laughing at Shino's face. The pale boy scrambled to get up, to pull his briefs and pants back up. But he was working too hastily, tumbling over with a loud _thud._

"Okay, what the hell was _that?!"_ Again, she yanked at the door, and this time, Shikamaru couldn't hold it. 

"You three! How da – _Oops…_ " She quickly spun around, allowing Shino time to pull up his zipper. He was blushing bright, but also feeling extremely relieved he'd at least managed to pull up his underwear and even his pants in time. Too bad he hadn't had enough time to make it appear as though nothing had happened, but he supposed he should just take the small victory and rejoice in that. Because honestly, he did _not_ feel like showing Yoshino Nara the full glory of the Aburame heir. 

"Eh… Mom? Please _never_ do that again…" Shikamaru pulled a face, clumsily rising to his feet. 

Choji was still laughing, he'd pulled his hand out of his mouth now, and was laughing to his heart's content, still squirming around on the bed. 

Shino tried to swallow, his throat suddenly too dry to speak. He shot a warning look at the boy on the bed, annoyed at Choji's apparent amusement. 

Yoshino slowly turned back, giggling as she leaned against the doorframe, "Well, to be fair, I really _was_ worried. I could hear you in here when I got back, but after Shikaku came home you all went so _quiet_ all of the sudden.. " 

"And why do you think _that_ is…?" Shikamaru asked sarcastically, "Could it maybe be because the guy has a habit of forgetting to knock?" 

"But I _did_ knock," She defended herself, "And no-one said anything. And then I heard this loud bang, and _still_ you didn't say anything. What was I _supposed_ to think?" 

Choji sat up, still giggling, "Maybe that Shino fell down?" He let himself drop back again, laughing once more. Shino just turned an even brighter shade of red. 

"Well, apparently. But how could _I_ know that?" 

The young Nara sighed, "Guess you couldn't…" 

" _Exactly_. I'm sorry, though, Shino. I really am. I'll just… Leave you guys alone, now," She turned to leave, only to be stopped as Choji called after her, all too amused, "Don't forget the earplugs!" 

Yoshino chuckled, "I won't. And just so you know, I'm cooking dinner. You can pay me back by fixing breakfast tomorrow!" 

After she left, Shikamaru closed the door again, turning back to Shino, "Okay, I'll admit it. My parents are _monsters._ "


	32. The inner workings of the Nara family

AUTHORS NOTE: Long _and_ smutty… Well, _some_ of it. I figured the smut was way overdue boy now, it's been like what? Six chapters already? XD

##########...##########

 **The inner workings of the Nara family**

##########...##########

 _Tuesday, five PM, Shikamaru's bedroom,  
_

Shikamaru closed the door again, turning back to Shino, "Okay, I'll admit it. My parents are _monsters._ " 

Shino nodded, just barely, while Choji was still laughing on the bed. It started to annoy Shikamaru a little now, too. Frowning as he looked at boy, "Pumpkin… What the _hell_ is so funny about all this that you're _still_ laughing?" 

It took the Akimichi some time to reply, first having to calm down. Eventually though, he sat up, there was still a smile on his face, but his voice was even as he answered, "It's just that you two always seem to have full control over _any_ situation, and now… You finally _didn't_. And Angelface is a fail as an exhibitionist if he can't even deal with another set of eyes," He chuckled again, but quickly straightened his face as both his boyfriends glared at him. 

"Say, Sexy… I'm beginning to think I might not like this side of Sweetcheeks after all, so, eh… You can disregard that statement about wanting to be woken up…" 

"Understood. I cannot blame you Loverboy. It is certainly unsettling." 

"Even more so when you consider the fact that he looks so sweet on the outside…" 

"That is _only_ the outside though, don't let it fool you, Baby." 

"I suppose that's advice to really take to heart… Say, Sexy?" 

"Yes?" 

"Think it's too late to wish for the sweet one back?" 

"I am quite certain of that, Loverboy… Unfortunately this is the version we will have to deal with from now on…" 

Their faces were all but emotionless, their posture that of two people discussing the weather, as was their tone, Choji shivered, "You don't actually mean that do you…?" He felt his lip start to tremble. 

Shikamaru's face twitched, Shino bit his lip. 

"Guys…?" Choji swallowed. 

Shikamaru was the first to break, collapsing on the floor laughing. Now Shino couldn't hold back anymore either, sinking to his knees as he clutched his stomach, doubling over as he laughed just as loud as his boyfriend. 

"You were _joking?!"_ Choji yelled, exasperated, "That's _mean!_ " 

"No Sweetcheeks, ahah, it's not… You, oh boy… You just did the same hahaha to Loverboy here…" Shikamaru wiped the tears out of his eyes, suddenly serious, "Speaking of which…" He licked his lips, getting up to walk over to the Aburame. 

Shino looked up at him, all jokes suddenly forgotten. Shikamaru's eyes were glazed over, his movements sure as he pulled his lover up to stand before him. Opening Shino's pants once more, he slid them down together with the briefs, his nose gently bumping his lover's half-hard member. 

" _Ah_ … Loverboy, not… I won't be able to support myself if you…" The rest of the sentence was lost in a low moan as Shikamaru's tongue slipped out to tease the Aburame. But it seemed he understood anyway, gently pushing the paler boy back until he leaned against the wall, dropping to his knees before him. 

"You know…" Choji suddenly drawled out from his position on the edge of the bed, "This isn't really fair… I was _naked_ …" 

Shino swallowed, before discarding hoodie and shirt as fast as he could, handing his sunglasses to Shikamaru so the boy could place them on his nightstand. On the way back to his trembling lover, Shikamaru, too, got rid of his clothes. Only shooting one worried glance at the door, muttering, "We've never done this during the day before…" 

Choji giggled, "She knows, right? So what's the problem?" He had already taken off his shirt, and was now pushing his pants over his hips. 

"That she knows _. That's_ the problem…" But Shikamaru apparently decided to ignore his own statement, once again dropping to his knees before Shino. Licking his lips a little nervously, he looked up at the other boy, "Eh… One thing…." 

Shino chuckled a little breathlessly, "No teeth." 

"Right…" 

He gingerly stretched out his tongue again, holding Shino's hips the way the paler boy had done with Choji. He barely touched his lover, licking his way from base to tip on the now fully erect member of Shino Aburame. The boy moaned loudly, shivering. 

Shikamaru smiled.  
 _I'm gonna do this, and I'm gonna pull it off perfectly. Shino won't know what hit him. He's gonna be blown away. So much so that he'll ask me to do this again and again.  
_

_Only… Eh… How do I do that?  
And would I even __**like**_ _it?  
I don't remember the last time, maybe that's for a good reason after all…  
_

_What if it tastes bad?  
What if I choke on it?  
What if I get disgusted or something?  
What if I hurt him?  
What if I can't go through with it mid-way?  
_

_He said it would hurt his pride if he can't cum on my mouth, right?  
And I went bragging that it would hurt mine if he didn't, but…  
_

_I should've asked him what he likes after all...  
I should've asked what to do…  
I should've asked Choji how it felt when Shino did this…  
_

_I… I'm honestly not sure if I can do this…  
_

He swallowed, he'd almost psyched himself out of it, that wouldn't do. That wouldn't do at all!  
Sticking out his tongue once more, he ran it over the underside of Shino's shaft again, a little firmer this time.  
 _See? This doesn't taste bad. It feels a little weird though…  
No! Stop thinking about it, just __**do**_ _it already!  
_

Straightening his back a little more, he moved his lips around the head of Shino's cock, startling as strong hands buried themselves in his hair.  
 _Wait, don't freak out – Choji did this too.  
I think it means I'm doing something right… This kind of feels weird, though…  
_

Sticking our his tongue once more, he accidentally caught the few drops of pre-cum that had appeared because of his own actions.  
 _Wow, that's… Weird tasting… Hmmm, not actually bad, though…  
_

He licked again, there were no more drops to collect, but apparently it was still okay because the hands in on his head tightened their grip and Shino moaned again. Loudly. There was that…  
 _Mom is_ _ **certain**_ _to hear… Woman has impeccable hearing… Maybe this was a bad idea after all… But, I can't very well stop now, can I? I just gotta hope dad doesn't get back yet, and that mom doesn't say anything about it. Maybe those earplugs were actually good enough and she's wearing them now and she can't hear us… That would be a comforting thought. I should hold on to that one…  
_

All the while, his tongue kept working, tracing circles around the hot flesh in his mouth. It still felt strange to have someone's cock in his mouth – not someone's, _Shino's_ – but he just chucked it up to being new. Shino kept moaning, though, so apparently he was doing something right here. It gave the Nara a _little_ more courage, and he dared to bow his head down a _little_ further, taking in his boyfriend's length a _little_ more. He was rewarded with another low moan from Shino. 

Somewhere in the background, Choji was moaning too, but Shikamaru couldn't really pay attention to that right now, the pressure to perform was already almost too much. He was lost in his own thoughts, only listening to Shino's sounds to make sure he was still doing alright. His tongue was playing around a little, although Shikamaru still felt a bit anxious, he was starting to enjoy it as well. This was mostly due to the fact that Shino was clearly enjoying himself at least a _little_ , but still. It encouraged the Nara to try something else. 

He'd mostly watched Choji last time, as he wasn't in the best position to study Shino's technique, but he had somehow stored one thing in his memory, and now he tried to re-create that.  
Sucking in his cheeks a little, he tried his utmost to keep his teeth away from the hot flesh as he gently sucked.  
 _They call it 'sucking off' for a reason, right? Oh god, I hope I'm doing this right…  
_

"Ha – Ah, Shi – Oh god…" 

_Those are good sounds, right? I'm not hurting him, am I?  
_

"Fuck, _ah fuck…_ Shikamaru… Oh god, _**Fuck!**_ _"_

For Shikamaru, it came out of nowhere. A sudden wave filling his mouth, the taste almost overwhelming him as he'd been focusing solely on the throbbing flesh occupying his mouth. He tried to swallow, afraid he was going to choke after all, but he couldn't swallow it all fast enough. His cheeks burning as he felt warm fluid trickle down from either side of his face.  
 _Damnit! I fucked up! He wanted to come in my mouth, not be spilling_ _ **over**_ _it! Damnit, Damnit,_ _ **Damnit**_ _! Shit, I screwed up!  
_

He tried to swallow again, but found there wasn't anything left to swallow. Shino's hands gently tugging at his hair. 

"Baby…" His voice was hoarse, "Please get off… _Ah,_ this is… Too sensitive right now…" 

Embarrassed, he looked up, only to find Shino smiling at him. Shikamaru found himself blinking in surprise as Shino's raspy voice told him how amazing he'd been. 

_But… I… He didn't…  
_ "Really…?" 

Shino chuckled, "Loverboy… Are you trying to sell yourself short?" He'd caught his breath by now, still standing on shaking legs, but now he felt like he could support himself again, "Come here." He softly pulled at the Nara's arms. Shikamaru stood, searching his boyfriends face for something. 

"I… You didn't… I mean…" He looked away, biting his lip. 

Shino chuckled again, "Not sure what you're trying to say, Baby, but please do not think you did anything wrong… You were amazing." 

Shikamaru looked back at him then, his face a little hopeful, "Sure?" 

On the bed, Choji joined in on Shino's chuckles, "Hotstuff, if he says it's good, then it's good, alright?" 

"I… Guess so…" 

Shino pulled him into a warm embrace, whispering into his ear, "Trust me Baby. Amazing, mind-blowing. And secretly hoping you'll be willing to do that again…" 

"I'll get better…" 

"Is that possible?" Shino pulled back a little, half-smirk on his face. 

Shikamaru smirked back, "I'll prove it." 

"So… You'd do it again?" Shino asked hesitantly, pinching his lower lip again. 

"Only if you'll let me… I think I need a practice partner." 

"Hey, you three!" Yoshino's voice called out to them, "The earplugs seem to be working just fine, but if you're done, you might consider a quick shower. Dinner will be ready in about fifteen minutes!" 

Shino looked at Shikamaru. Shikamaru looked at Shino. Choji just blinked. Then they laughed together, almost hysterically so. After a few minutes, the Nara calmed down just enough to let out a 'Thank god!' Before turning to retrieve his pants. 

"Loverboy… Would it be possible to borrow some pants from you? I, eh… Mine are kind of… _Wet_ …" 

Shikamaru chuckled, eying the lean form of the Aburame, "Think we have about the same size, pants are in the third drawer." 

"Grab some of mine, too, Angelface. And maybe a shirt, too…" 

Shino turned to the dresser, trying to sort through the disorganized piles he found inside, "This thing wasn't _this_ messy last time I opened it…" He muttered. 

"Yeah, well, that's probably 'cause my mom organizes it every now and then. I just can't be bothered… Hey, wait a minute… When exactly did _you_ ever open my dresser?" 

"Eh… I… When, eh… " 

Choji chuckled, "Probably after we got drunk and fucked, I don't really see us thinking clear enough to put our pajama's back on after that… Besides, I had that one with the pink teddy bears on, the one that I _hate_ …" 

"I'm sorry…" Shino looked rather dejected, "I actually thought it looked cute on you…" 

Another chuckle sounded from the Akimichi as he walked over to the dresser, "Here, let me. I know how Shikamaru organizes this thing, even if no-one else seems to get it… And by the way, Yoshino got me those, so the two of you share a similar taste, I suppose… But I really don't like walking around in pink teddy bears… Even if you think they're cute. The only reason I haven't thrown them out is because they were a gift… Here," He handed Shino a bundle of clothes, "Those are for you, Hotstuff, here's yours," He dumped another pile into the Nara's arms before gathering his own, 'Now, let's go see if that shower will fit all three of us, shall we?"  
He strode to the door, naked as the day he was born. 

"Eh… Pumpkin? You're butt-naked…" 

"Yoshino 's in the kitchen, and if Shikaku were here, she wouldn't have had to ask if we were done yet. Now hurry up, we only have like ten more minutes." 

He walked out, leaving his boyfriends staring at each other baffled, "Baby, correct me if I'm wrong but… Did _Buttercup_ just take charge?" 

"I think he did…" Shikamaru answered thoughtfully, "And I'm a little scared to find out what'll happen if we don't listen to him…" 

So they quickly followed the other boy, peering around the corner first to make _sure_ Yoshino couldn't see them. But it seemed that Choji was correct, they could hear her humming in the kitchen. She was way of pitch and Shikamaru said this was proof that she was wearing the earplugs as promised, because his mother never messed up with that song. 

"What song _is_ it?" Shino asked, ducking into the bathroom, Choji was already in the shower, frowning at them. 

"Nursery rhyme, she's been singing it to me since I was a baby. Apparently, her mother sang it to her, and _her_ mother sang it to _her._ Whatever, I'm just glad she stopped singing and started humming…" 

They squeezed into the shower, surprisingly enough, it fit. There was even a little room to move, though not really enough to thoroughly wash themselves, so they had to help each other out. Which almost turned into another make-out session. 

Until Yoshino knocked on the door, that was, "I noticed the shower was on, so I figured I could ditch the plugs, but now I'm starting to wonder if that was such a good idea…" She stated sarcastically. 

"Eh… We'll be right out, mom!" 

"Sure… And my mother was the first Hokage… Just don't splash the water all over the damned floor, again, Shikamaru." They could hear her walk away, and Shino released the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. 

Raising one eyebrow, he looked at the Nara who was all but pressed up against him, "Do you regularly splash water all over the floor?" 

"Eh… Choji and I had a water fight a while back –" 

" _Years ago,_ we were like, _five_ or something. And that was in the tub…" 

"Yeah well, anyway… Ever since, she's…" He shrugged, "It really irked her that she had to clean all of that up. I mean, the water pretty much reached up till her ankles, and she'd just cleaned the bathroom, and there were friends coming over, and she still needed to get groceries for the dinner party…" 

Shino blinked, "You remember all that from back when you were five?" 

"No… I just remember all the times she's complained about it since…" He gave his boyfriend a wry smile, "Anyway, I think I'm about done… You two?"

##########...##########

 _Tuesday, six-twenty PM, Nara Kitchen,  
_

As the three teenagers walked into the kitchen, Yoshino gave them a quick once-over. Apparently they'd all changed their clothes, and Shino was wearing Shikamaru's. She could finally see the boy's face, although the sunglasses remained. She'd dealt with the Aburame clan in her time as an active shinobi, though, so she didn't say anything about it, "I've been keeping dinner warm for you three lazy bums," She winked, "Didn't set the table though, Shikamaru?" 

He nodded, quickly walking over to the cabinet, he handed the plates to Shino, the rest to Choji. Yoshino nodded approvingly when she saw how effectively they worked together. 

After she'd put the food on the table, she sat herself down on the same chair she'd been sitting in earlier today, the boys had opted for their earlier position, and this was the easiest way to be able to see all of them at the same time, although it felt a little strange, "Don't you three ever break formation?" She asked, serving out the rice. 

"Come again?" Shino looked confused. 

"You three, every time anyone sees you it's the same thing. Shikamaru in the middle, Choji on his right hand, you on his left. Why?" 

"Because that's how it's supposed to be…" Choji said softly, "Doesn't feel right otherwise…" 

"Unless we need to sleep, 'cause Pumpkin's an _amazing_ pillow –" 

"Slash bed." 

"Guys! That's only because there's never any _room,_ right? You're gonna at least let me breathe _tonight_ , right?" 

"Nope," Shikamaru smirked, "If you've got a problem with it, grow some claws, Carebear. If not, you're our pillow slash mattress for the rest of your life." 

Choji pulled a face, muttering, "If _that's_ the case, I probably won't live very long…"  
He accepted his rice bowl with a grateful nod, and seconds later, the Akimichi completely withdrew from the conversation, too busy focusing on his food to care about anything else right now. 

But Yoshino hadn't forgotten the words the three had just spoken, placing the last bowl of rice before herself, she folded her hands together, "So, I take it Shikamaru's the only one with a double bed?" 

"Yeah… So?" 

"I was just curious I guess… If this is the only house where you have at least _some_ room, why is this the first time you're staying here since… _Then?_ " 

Shikamaru's reply was curt, wedged in between two bites, "Dad." 

She nodded, "Makes sense… I'll try to talk to him, but –" 

"Don't bother. Precious is working his folks to get a double too, and when he does I'm outta here." 

"Shikamaru…" Shino looked unsure how to continue, but still a little annoyed, "We talked about this…" 

"So? The guy's a fucking _nightmare!_ I fucking hate his _guts_ right now." 

"Why?" Finished with his first bowl, Choji had some attention to spare the conversation around him again. 

"Just 'cause. First, for my entire life, he embarrasses the fucking _shit – "  
_

"Shikamaru," She frowned, "Say what you will, but stop swearing." 

"Fine, sorry… Anyway, he's been embarrassing me for my entire life, and then he fu- eh, he just walks in, he has _no_ respect for our relationship, he makes Kakashi and Iruka-sensei uncomfortable, he sticks his nose in _everything_ that's none of his business, he – " The volume of the young Nara's voice steadily rose and the list went on and on. Yoshino slowly paled, hearing her son explain in great detail all the things his father did that he hated. And there were a _lot_ of them, even if, every now and then, he repeated himself. Choji'd stopped eating and was now just staring at Shikamaru, while Shino's gaze was glued to the table in front of him. 

"… Over _breakfast_ , for crying out loud! I'm serious! I freaking _hate_ the guy!–" 

"Gee, Shikamaru… Tell me how you _really_ feel about me…" _  
_


	33. Feeling a little better

AUTHORS NOTE: Not really a clear idea what to tell you, since no-one's talking back to me anymore… Wow, pity party! Anyway, I'm still uploading, hope that someone's still enjoying this…

##########...##########

 **Feeling a little better**

##########...##########

 _Tuesday, six-forty-five PM, Iruka's apartment,  
_

Kakashi turned to his boyfriend, a lewd smile on his face as he cocked his head ever so slightly to the side, "Babe, my tummy's holding up fine, and my cock is throbbing..." 

Iruka nearly chuckled, it was almost embarrassing how often his boyfriend thought about sex, and right now _really_ wasn't the time. Still... He wouldn't refuse him. _Couldn't_. Not now, not after he'd said he would do anything to help Kakashi. And he already knew it would help the older man's headache; though usually sex was completely out of the question until the silver-haired man could at least handle normal speaking volume again. Still... If he thought it would help...  
Iruka swiftly got to his feet, holding out his hand to help Kakashi up. The older man swayed slightly, but he pretended he didn't see – reminding Kakashi of his weakened state would be cruel right now. They both knew, and they would deal with it together – no need to embarrass the man further, or make him feel incapable in any way. So he softly steadied him, and they walked over to the bed together. Iruka helped his boyfriend lay down on his back in the middle of the bed, before getting rid of his own clothes as quickly as he could. He could feel Kakashi's eye on him, lazily examining his body. His cheeks turned a little pink, but he remained still. For Kakashi, sometimes at least, this was as much a part of the sex as the actual _physical_ aspect of it. 

"Love... You look amazing," The copy ninja murmured, his gaze lingering on Iruka's sex. 

Iruka just smiled, gently placing one knee on the bed, when Kakashi spoke, it meant that he was done looking for now, and he could get a little more serious with his lover. He was still very careful, though, softly pulling down the pajama pants, almost moaning as he caught sight of his boyfriend's erection. Discarding the pants with a flick of his wrist that sent them flying across the room, he pulled the rest of his body on the bed as well, still being mindful of Kakashi's state as he tried to move as smoothly as humanly possible. 

Positioning himself between his lover's legs, he leaned in for a soft kiss, taking care not to touch any other part of Kakashi – just his lips. The older man kissed him back a little hesitantly, still a little worried about the food that might try to make his way back up after all. But Iruka ignored that, trailing soft kisses along Kakashi's jaw, his throat and all the way down past a muscular chest and a six-pack to die for. 

When he reached his lover's cock, standing proud, he placed another soft kiss on the tip, before running his tongue all the way along the shaft; base to tip. But suddenly, strong hands gently cupped his face, and the copy ninja pulled him back up. He placed a short but loving kiss on Iruka's lips, lingering so that their lips still touched as he mumbled, "Babe, please I need to be inside you right now, _really_ inside you, Love, please." 

Iruka swallowed, before nodding gently. Immediately the silver-haired man let one hand travel over Iruka's body, ghosting over tanned skin. His fingers found their target without hesitation and the brunette gasped. 

"You still feel so loose, Babe..." 

" _Ah_ , yes, so...? _Hmmmm_ , _ah,_ Kakashi... Oh, Sweetheart... That feels so good..." Two fingers, now, and Iruka secretly braced himself for the third addition – he would just have to bear it. 

"Love... You hate it when I go further, don't you?" Kakashi's voice was a mere whisper, and Iruka leaned a little closer, nuzzling the crook of his boyfriends neck ever so slightly – still not really wanting to touch him too much, still scared of hurting the man he loved. He nodded softly, placing a gentle kiss on pale skin. 

"You know why I always insist?" His fingers held a lazy pace, still just two of them, Iruka moaned softly, trying to resist the urge to buck his hips as he shook his head a little. 

"My first time... It was a bit of a power struggle... And he tried to get inside me before I really had the chance to realize what was going on. He hurt me, and I almost put him in the hospital for it. That's why I don't bottom, that's why I insist, Babe... I know you hate it... I think..." His voice trailed off for a moment, and Iruka lay frozen as Kakashi's fingers continued their lazy motions, "I've been trying to tell myself that I'm not hurting you, that you're fine with it, but it's hard for me. So... Be a little patient, okay?" He pulled his hand back now, gently pushing Iruka up a little.  
Chocolate eyes locked into his own, and he knew that, finally, Iruka understood now. _This_ , at least.  
"Sit up, Babe... I can't..." A naughty smile appeared, "Ride me, Iruka." 

The younger man swallowed, nodding. This had never happened before, and if Iruka was completely honest with himself; He wasn't actually sure if he'd be very good at it. This was just one of those things that he'd never done before. But he didn't need to tell his lover, didn't need to worry about breaking this spell right now; Kakashi already knew. They'd talked about it like they'd talked about so many things. Calmly, over a cup of tea or sometimes shochu. 

So he sat up, moving back a little. He reached behind himself, gently grabbing a hold of the older man's cock, Kakashi shuddered. 

"Ba-Babe... You're... No lube?" He managed to squeeze out. 

Iruka smiled at him, leaning back over his lover for a moment so he could whisper in his ear, "Another detail you're too worried about. I'm fine without and right now, I prefer it that way. You okay with that, Sweetheart?" 

Strong arms wrapped tightly around him as Kakashi pressed their bodies together briefly, "You're wish is my command, Love," He licked his lips as Iruka sat back up. Reaching behind to guide his boyfriend's length into himself. 

Slowly sitting up, the brunette moaned, before sliding down completely, "Good _god,_ Sweetheart... Oh you feel so good..." He rocked his hips a little, gasping as he realized he'd accidentally manoeuvred himself into the perfect position. 

Kakashi smiled warmly, stroking his lover's thighs as he moved his own hips a little. Together they slowly started to work up a pace, and after a little while, Iruka stopped studying his lover's face for signs of pain so intently. He was still careful, still paying attention, still wanting to make sure that this would not hurt Kakashi even more, but he'd also accepted the fact that, apparently, this much was fine. Their pace was slow and sweet, and both of them only moaned quietly, with the brunette gasping every now and then as Kakashi shifted a little inside him, making sure he hit that bundle of nerves head-on. Not too often though; he knew how much Iruka loved to savour these slow moments. There was no rush, no need to get caught up in the passion. 

But eventually, even the slowest of lovemaking reaches its climax, and a low moan escaped the younger man as his own washed over him. He slumped, but was caught by Kakashi's strong arms. The silver-haired man softly lay his lover down on his chest, knowing that if Iruka would fall on top of him, he would most likely cry out in pain. He kept rocking his hips, but for now, he knew his own climax was still a little ways off. He moaned, needing his release. His lover, still a little dazed, realized this, and as Kakashi slowly turned them over, Iruka helped him out, holding on to the older man as he shifted until he lay on his back. Kakashi lightly kissed his pulse before pushing himself up a little, resting on his elbows. He could feel Iruka's legs wrap around him, pulling him in deeper, moaning softly, he pulled out almost completely, taking a brief moment to return his lover's intense gaze. Iruka smiled up at him, nodding, and he thrust back in, hard. Once more, he still held back, but the forceful thrusts inched him closer to the edge nonetheless. One more time, and he could feel his muscles tense up, just once more he thrust back in and his vision went black as he emptied himself inside the man he had loved for so long. He didn't cry out, his body instinctively protecting itself, but as Kakashi felt himself being swept away, his moaned words spelled out his love for the man holding him in his arms, "Irukaaaa... I love you... 'Rukaaa..." 

##########...##########

 _Wednesday, seven-fifteen AM, Iruka's apartment,  
_

Kakashi winced only slightly as the soft knock on the door sounded through Iruka's apartment. His boyfriend placed one last private kiss on cherry lips before moving to open the door. 

As Maito Gai walked into the room he chuckled softly, "So the mask is back, my rival? And you're fully dressed today," He walked over, sitting down on the bed beside his best friend, "How are you feeling, Kakashi?" 

The silver-haired man offered him a small smile, he could see it through the mask. Gai had years of experience in reading Kakashi's expressions despite the mask, and the fact that the curtains were open just about halfway certainly helped as well, "I'm… Doing better. Not there yet, but a lot better than yesterday, Gai." 

Iruka had followed the jouinin back into the room, "Gai," He spoke in the same soft tone the others had been using, "I need to leave a little early, I have to go and talk to Lady Tsunade about getting another dose of his medicine, and I need to pick up the last dose over at his apartment. So I'm rushing right now. If there's anything you need, Kakashi knows my apartment inside out," He nodded at the two men on the bed before turning to leave. 

"Iruka," Gai called softly, "I can get the dose from his apartment," He turned to Kakashi for a moment, "That's alright, right? It's still in the second kitchen drawer?" 

"It is, thanks. Babe, you don't have to hurry… I'll talk to her later today if I'm up for it, and if not… That dose is the only one I'm allowed to take today anyway…" 

"Wait, my friend, when did you take the last dose Iruka had?" 

"He took it last night, Gai," Iruka sighed, "Around ten. So I _do_ need to hurry…" 

The older man blinked, turning to his friend once more, "And you're _still_ feeling better?!" 

Kakashi winced, "Gai…" He complained, "Better, _not_ fine…" 

"Either way, I have to go," Iruka turned on his heels, "You'll get the one at his apartment?" 

"I will. Don't worry, Iruka." 

"Tsch…" The chuunin muttered, "Like _that'll_ ever happen…" But he opened the front door, closing it behind him with only the slightest of thuds before he hurried away. 

After the younger man had left, Gai got to his feet, leaning over so he could look Kakashi in the eye, hands on his hips, legs wide, "What happened?" 

The other man cowered away, barely noticeable, but Gai knew his friend to well not to notice, "What the hell are you talking about, Gai?" 

"Last night, my friend. What happened last night? You only had your dose last night, nothing this morning, and still you've made an almost miraculous recovery. After seeing your cute little chuunin so worried last night I was half expecting you to be doing even _worse_. So what happened?" 

"Gai…" 

A frown appeared on the face of the spandex-clad man, "Kakashi, if it _worked_ … If you tell me, I might be able to help you better next time. Because I _know_ you didn't explain this to him, if you did, he'd be ditching work…" 

"I did.. Part of it, anyway," The copy ninja stared at a spot on the wall. 

"You're not telling me the whole truth, my friend," Gai leaned in even closer, causing the silver-haired man to lean back, frowning at his friend. 

"Gai, give me some space here…" He complained, trying to push his friend away. Gai let himself be pushed back, even though his rival currently hadn't the strength to actually _force_ him back. He sat down at Kakashi's feet, all but leaning against his legs. 

"Explain this to me, Kakashi; Why won't you tell me what Iruka did to make you feel better? Do you not trust me?" 

"I trust you…" His gaze shifted through the room, looking everywhere _but_ at his best friend. 

"Was it the food?" 

"That probably helped…" 

"Kakashi…" 

Suddenly, the silver-haired man tried to shove his best friend away, though he couldn't manage more than a nudge, "Give me space, Gai. I'm serious." 

Noting the look on Kakashi's face, the other man immediately moved back, resting his back against Iruka's low table, consequently creating almost two steps between them. 

"Better…" Kakashi sighed, "Right now, Gai… _Please_ don't get to close. Iruka… He did the one thing for me that you absolutely can't. So…" 

Gai just looked at him, confusion clear on his face. 

Kakashi almost chuckled, but then winced. He took a deep breath, resting his head in his hands. Thus also ensuring that he wouldn't have to look at Gai as he spoke, "Yesterday… I said there was one thing I wasn't going to talk about with you, remember…?" 

But Gai remained silent, so Kakashi dared a quick glance, "You don't understand… Damnit, Gai, I don't want to have to spell this out for you…" He sighed, "Oh _fine,_ he fucked me, okay? Well, if you want to get _technical_ I fucked _him_. But… Whatever," He sighed again, allowing his body to slide to the side until his head rested on the pillow. Eyes closed, the silver-haired man whispered, "Don't get too close, Gai, not now…" 

Taken aback by the implications of his friends words, Gai worried the inside of his lip for a little while, silently pondering if Kakashi had actually meant _that_ , or if the copy ninja's dirty mind had _finally_ rubbed off on him. 

One eye opened slowly, and Kakashi studied his friend for a little while before speaking softly, "Yes, Gai. That's what I meant. That's why you can't get too close right now. It's also why I'd actually rather you _weren't_ here right now…" He sighed again, all but whispering, "I'm sorry, Gai…" 

The other man chuckled a little, then burst out laughing. Doing his utmost best to contain that again once he realized the sound was hurting his best friend. When Gai felt like he could speak again, he removed his hands from his mouth, eyes still glistening with amusement, "Kakashi… Are you _seriously_ telling me I'm not allowed to get close to you because I'm – _Me,_ _ **Maito Gai**_ – that _I_ am giving _you_ –" 

" _Yes,_ Gai," Kakashi slowly got back up, cheeks pink he didn't dare look his friend in the eyes as he muttered, "That's _exactly_ what I'm saying…" 

This called forth another series of stifled chuckles from Gai, but eventually the man calmed down again, turned serious again, "The pain is increasing, is it not?" He frowned, studying his friend from a distance. 

"Yes…" Kakashi whispered, "Please Gai… My keys are in my pouch," He gestured toward the table where Gai quickly recovered the copy ninja's pouch, and fished out the keys to the man's apartment. 

"I'll be right back, Kakashi. Do you need something before I go?" 

A shameful eye slowly drifted up to meet his gaze, "Water?" 

##########...##########

 _Wednesday, seven-thirty AM, Hogake Tower, outside Tsunade's personal quarters,  
_

"Lady Hokage isn't even _dressed_ yet!" Shizune hissed, "You'll _just_ have to wait until eight o'clock, like everyone else," Crossing her arms before her chest, the woman blocked Iruka's path. 

"Listen Shizune, I _can't_. I have to be at work in less than ten minutes and –" 

"Then come back after," She frowned. 

" _No,_ I need to see her _now_ ," He sighed, "Please Shizune, just –" 

"No! Don't you understand? You people keep bothering her at all hours! She is off-duty until eight. _Deal_ with that!" The raven-haired woman all but yelled. 

Out of nowhere, the door behind her, the door she'd been guarding with zeal, opened.  
The slightly annoyed form of the Hokage appeared in the doorway, dressed in nothing but a robe, "Iruka? What are you doing here so early?" She frowned. 

"It's… Eh…" He shot the Hokage's assistant a look, "Eh…" 

"Come in," She stepped aside, closing the door before her assistant's nose. Turning to her unsuspected visitor, Tsunade crossed her arms in front of her chest, "This better be good, brat." 

He sighed, "It is… It's Kakashi… We've run out of his headache medicine and –" 

"Wait, already? How much does he take at a time? How many times a day? How many days in a row? How often do those headaches actually occur? Is he having one now? Is that why _you're_ here? Is he alone? Why didn't he come see me sooner? What triggered him? How is he –" 

"Lady Tsunade," He interrupted her bombard of questions, " _Please_ … He's not alone right now, Gai's with him. He woke up with one yesterday, gave him one dose at five-thirty, the second at ten PM. I don't know why he didn't come to you sooner – we _try_ to keep track of it, I swear. Right now he's doing a little better, but I want to have some in case he takes a turn for the worse during the day, and I stick to your dose. Always." 

The blonde studied his face for a brief moment, her tone substantially softer when she spoke again, "Does _he?"_

"I always prepare it for him. I make sure he eats before and then eats again within twelve hours, and I keep track of how many doses he's had already and how much time is in between them." 

"Are you always together?" She almost chuckled, "How can you be so sure he never has those headaches when you're not around?" 

He looked away, blushing, "He doesn't."  
 _I can always tell when one's coming. I know by the way he clutches me, but I can't… Tell her that…  
_

The Hokage frowned again, taking a step closer to the younger man, "Do you have something to do with them, brat?" 

Iruka swallowed, clenching his hands to fists behind his back, his voice almost broke as he whispered, "I'm not sure…" 

And there it was again, that examining look, that soft tone, coaxing the answer out of him, making him feel like there was no way he could resist answering her, "What did you do night before last, Iruka? What did you and Kakashi do?" 

He looked away, clenching his jaws to stop himself, but he couldn't , "We had company over, Shino, Choji and Shikamaru… Kakashi walked them home. After… We… eh…" He hesitated, trying to resist those intense eyes, "He, eh… We had sex," Iruka whispered, his voice almost inaudible, "But he… He couldn't – I mean… He was… _Clinging_ to me… Not really… eh…" He shot her a helpless look, "Please, Lady Tsunade, please stop asking about it…" Tears of shame stung in his eyes, but the woman showed no signs of giving up just yet. 

"What happened, Iruka?" 

The chuunin took a shaky breath, "He just… Held me, alright? Nothing special… Please stop asking about it. I need to get to work, but –" 

He was interrupted by her stern voice, "You're not getting it, Iruka." 

Tears streaked his face as he finally looked at her again, his eyes pleading along with his words, " _Please_ , Lady Tsunade, he's in _pain…_ Kakashi _never_ admits that he's feeling sick or that he's in pain, but he actually _said_ it, please, if he's so bad he's _telling_ me… _Please_ …" 

"You're not getting it. I'll go over to his apartment myself." 

The brunette gulped, "He's not – I mean, he's… _My_ apartment…" 

"Very well, _your_ apartment. I'll go over as soon as I'm dressed. Just go to work, Iruka," She turned away from him, opening the door, "I'll handle it." 

What choice did the man have? He left the woman, went to work. Doing everything he possibly could not to think about whatever was going on in his apartment.


	34. Thin walls

AUTHORS NOTE: Did I not _repeatedly_ state that I do _not_ do straight couples? Why the _hell_ do they _keep_ worming their way into my smut… ;_; I don't get it….

##########...##########

 **Thin walls**

##########...##########

 _Tuesday, seven-fifty-five PM, Nara kitchen,  
_

"Gee, Shikamaru… Tell me how you _really_ feel about me…" _  
_

Shikamaru whipped around, " _Dad!_ " Wide-eyed, the boy stared at his father standing in the doorway. The elder Nara had his arms crossed in front of his chest, leaning against the doorframe with an expression of mildly amused curiosity on his face. Shikamaru immediately realized it was a mask, but he couldn't figure out what his father was really thinking, and it scared him. 

Yoshino also saw her husband standing there, but unlike her son, _she_ recognized the hurt in his eyes, the regret on his face, "Darling, calm down… Come, sit." 

The man sighed, but walked over nonetheless, dropping in the chair beside his wife he regarded the three teenagers before him with a weary look before sighing once more, "Look Shikamaru… I realize I've made mistakes, and that I've been too hard on you sometimes… But really, I just…" He sighed again, slumping down a little. 

Shikamaru frowned, crossing his arms he looked at his father with an angry expression on his face, "Not _sometimes_ , dad. Whatever, this is troublesome," He got up, "I'm outta here," Walking away, he didn't even glance at his boyfriends, though they both scrambled to get up and follow him. 

Choji wore a concerned expression, calling after the Nara as he tried to catch up with him while Shino held a calmer pace. Just before he excited the kitchen, the Aburame turned, bowing his head, "I apologize for this. I cannot help but feel I share part of the blame. Please forgive me," He didn't wait for an answer though, instead turning on his heels to follow his boyfriends. 

After the boys had left, Shikaku sighed again, picking up his wife's chopsticks to pick a small piece of meat from the pot, "I'm a horrible father, aren't I?" He asked her gloomily, staring at the little bite as if he was hoping it would answer him, reassure him. 

"No, you're not," She got up to clear the table, "But you've pushed him beyond his limits with the way you've been behaving recently, Shikaku. He loves those two, and they love him. It may be unconventional, but – " 

"That's not the problem, my Beloved…" He sighed again, throwing the meat back in the pot – there was no way he could even stomach his favorite food right now, "I just… We're already running low on shinobi. The Acadamy applications are dwindling down to the single digits, two of my highest hopes have removed themselves from the equation; There will be no more Hatake or Umino bloodline after those two, and now… No more Nara, no more Akimichi, no more Aburame…" He let out a quaky breath, "I know there are others, I know they all have cousins, that the bloodline won't _end._ But it's the strongest in those three, Yoshino," He looked up at her, worry and sadness in his eyes, "I've been hard on the boy in hopes that it would make him a strong shinobi, a strong heir, a strong _father…_ " 

Her tone was soft as she rested her hands on the back of the chair across from him, "You're asking too much of a teenager, Shikaku…" 

"I know… I always believed that the goal would justify the means in the end… I've been a selfish moron…" 

"Yes, you have," She gave her husband a reassuring smile, "But it may not be too late to make things right, Darling. He's not going to want to see you again for the rest of the day, but… Maybe later, you two can talk." 

"How's that even _possible_? It's always the tree of them now. Ever since –… No-one's ever seen them apart since they… " 

Yoshino Nara frowned, extending her arms to pick up the pot since it looked like her husband wasn't going to eat any of it anyway, "Then just _deal_ with that, Shikaku. Either ask them to leave, or be a grown-up and accept the fact that they're in a committed relationship and that your son _needs_ them right now," She hissed, not wanting to raise her voice for fear of the teenagers overhearing them. 

Shikaku sighed, getting up, "Let me get that, Beloved, it's heavy," He took the pot from the table, taking it over to the kitchen to ladle the leftovers into a container to put in the fridge before washing the pot, "You're right, of course," He gave her a weak smile, "You always are… I'll find a way to deal with it. But it's not going to be tonight. Tonight…" He looked at her with weary, beaten eyes, "Tonight I really just need to _not_ think about it…" 

##########...##########

 _Tuesday, eight- fifteen PM, Shikamaru's bedroom,  
_

He was crying. Wrapped in Choji's loving arms, the young Nara cried against his lover's chest. Not knowing what to do with the situation, Shino had sat down on the floor, facing his two boyfriends on the bed. None of them spoke as desperate sobs shook the lean frame of Shikamaru. 

##########...##########

 _Tuesday, eight-forty, Shikamaru's bedroom,  
_

Finally, the sobbing boy started to calm down again, and Shino felt like he could breath once more. As he watched Shikamaru retreat out of Choji's embrace, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand he spoke softly, "Baby, I am certain your father feels no better about this than you do." 

"I know… He's just… Worried about other stuff," Shikamaru swallowed, letting his gaze drift around his room, "What Iruka-sensei said about him? That he would prefer those guys to find a woman? He wants them to have kids, dad's concerned about how there are less and less gennin graduating from the academy… There were only three teams when _we_ graduated, year before last there were _none_. I know there's supposed to be like five or so every year, but… There are less and less applications, and a lot of kids don't make it through the Academy… He's worried we're going to run out of shinobi at some point, I _know_ that…" 

Choji blinked, "Cutypie… Do you really think _that's_ why you're dad's being so harsh?" 

A sarcastic chuckle shook the boy, "I _know_ that's why… But that doesn't change the fact that he's been way too much of a jerk. And I know he's not… He doesn't like things that are outside of what he perceives as 'normal'…" 

"Like us?" 

"Yeah, Pumpkin, like us. Like Kakashi and Iruka-sensei…" 

"Baby – " 

"No, please… I don't want to talk about it anymore… I kind of… Can we just do something else?" 

"What do you want to do, Hotstuff?" There was a cheeky grin on the Akimichi's face as his hand softly stroked his boyfriends back. 

Shikamaru chuckled, "That's actually _not_ what I was talking about, but if you insist…" He turned his head, pressing his lips against Choji's. He moaned softly as their kiss deepened and his lover pulled him on his lap, hands lifting his shirt just enough to stroke the bare skin on his back. 

Shino couldn't help but chuckle, even when he considered that he'd been sleeping around, had way too many partners way too often… His boyfriend's sex drive seemed to be through the roof. Not that Shino minded, he was actually really glad – his own sex drive was through the roof as well, and knowing that he didn't need to hold back in his relationship was… _Comforting._

Shikamaru looked over his shoulder, searching Shino's face, "What's so funny, Sexy?" 

The Aburame smiled at him, "I was just thinking how lucky I am not to be the only sex-crazed mind in this relationship," He watched Shikamaru swallow, lust clouding dark eyes. 

"No, Sexy, you're not," His voice came out hoarse, but he didn't even notice. In his arms, Choji chuckled. 

"Well, then it's still only the two of you, my Honeybuns. Because as much as I love making out with both of you, right now I'm not really interested…" A small yawn escaped him, "I think getting off once a day is more than enough for me," He added, almost drowsily, "And with everything that's happened today…" His voice trailed off. 

"It exhausts you, does it not Buttercup? All the emotions that have been going back and forth today," Shino watched his boyfriend nod, suppressing another yawn. 

"Sweetcheeks, if you want to sleep…" 

"No, it's fine, Cutypie, I just don't want to get all active, I guess," He smiled at both his lovers, "You two do whatever you want, just leave enough room on the bed for me to lay down, okay?" 

"Are you _sure_ you do not mind?" 

"I don't, Angelface. I'm just… Tired, is all. But I honestly don't mind if you're not, or if you wanna… You know…" He smiled a little shyly, "I know I'm supposed to finish that sentence, but I'm really too tired to deal with that right now…" 

Shikamaru chuckled, "You're still fighting the embarrassment, aren't you Pumpkin?" 

Choji hummed his agreement, softly pushing Shikamaru off his lap. He laid himself on his side, his back resting comfortably against the wall as he used his arm as a pillow. Shino gave him a loving smile, "Do you want me to grab you a pajama, Buttercup?" 

"Neh… I should probably get these clothes off before I fall asleep though…" He sounded even more tired than before, yawning again. So his boyfriends gently helped him out of his clothes, before stripping their own. Leaving the three heirs in only their boxers as Shikamaru and Shino laid down too. Choji regarded them with interest, "Didn't I say you two could make out all you want?" He teased slightly. 

Shikamaru chuckled, pulling himself atop his other boyfriend, straddling him. He kissed Shino, mapping out the other's mouth languidly. Shino returned his kiss in the same fashion, his hands wandering the Nara's back. After a while though, Shikamaru noticed that their kiss was growing more and more passionate, his body coming to life at Shino's touches. He moaned, pressing his body tighter against his lover's. Shino seemed to have the same idea, his hands wandering down to his boxers, slowly pushing them down. Moaning again, he lifted his hips a little, allowing his lover to slide the fabric down further. Shifting a little, Shikamaru kicked his boxers to the side, turning to pull Shino's off as well but the paler boy had beaten him to it, naked, he lay panting. Lifting his knees to create easier access. Shikamaru swallowed before reaching out his hand to grab the lube out of his nightstand, his voice barely above a whisper, "Do you want me inside you, Precious?" 

"I do," Dark, almost completely black eyes followed his every move, "Besides, we agreed to leave your tight little ass out of it for a couple of days." 

A fond smile crept across the Nara's face, "True," His hands now busy opening the lube bottle, he shot a glance over at Choji. The plump boy hadn't moved, his eyes taking in the scene before him, he smiled at Shikamaru but didn't say anything. So the Nara turned his attention back to Shino, slipping one finger inside the panting boy. Shino moaned softly, arching his back as he allowed his head to fall back on the pillow. 

Shikamaru took his time, examining the inside of his lover's body until he found what he'd been looking for. Shino's soft moans suddenly became loud, his panting breath hitching in his throat, "Baby, ah _yes_ , right there…" A huge smile appeared on the Nara's face, beaming, his finger found Shino's special place once more. Another loud moan sounded through the room, but as Shino caught his breath again, he asked his lover to slow down, telling him he wanted him to hit that spot only every once in a while, until he finally slipped inside him. Shikamaru moaned at the seductive tone, but complied, his two fingers now quickly working up a pace. 

##########...##########

 _Tuesday, nine-ten PM, Shikaku and Yoshino's bedroom,  
_

The man suddenly frowned, muttering, "You've got to be _kidding_ me…" 

She just smiled, continuing to brush the dark strands of his hair, it was their own little ritual and Yoshino was the only one allowed to touch her husband's hair. The thick but soft strands flowed between her fingers and under the brush. She always loved brushing his hair. 

"They're… Right _now_?" 

She chuckled, "Need to borrow my earplugs?" 

He sighed, "No," Turning, he softly pulled the brush out of her hands, dropping it on the nightstand, "I was thinking more along the lines of drowning them out…" 

##########...##########

 _Tuesday, nine-fifteen PM, Shikamaru's bedroom,  
_

Shikamaru gasped when he felt Shino's walls enclose him.  
 _I'll never get bored of this – it's sheer bliss!_  
Pushing in slowly, he could feel his lover clench his muscles, increasing his pleasure even more. He moaned, Shino was just _too_ amazing. When he felt his balls softly brush against Shino's skin, he smiled at his lover. 

Shino's legs were wrapped around his tanned lover's waist as he tightened his muscles as far as he could, smiling when he was rewarded with another low moan from Shikamaru. He could feel his lover slowly filling him up, only stopping when he couldn't go any deeper. They smiled at each other, simply enjoying this moment. But suddenly, Shikamaru's eyes widened, and a hot blush appeared on his cheeks. Shino chuckled, he'd heard the soft noises for a while now, but it was clear that Shikamaru _hadn't._ His father's loud moan had startled the boy and the Aburame couldn't help but be amused. 

"Just ignore them, Hotstuff…" 

Shikamaru swallowed, turning his head a little so he could see both of them at the same time he whispered, "Not fucking _possible_ …" 

Shino chuckled, moving his hips a little he drew a low moan out of his lover, "Sure it is, Loverboy," He kept moving, encouraging Shikamaru to disregard what was happening in his parents' room and focus on what was happening right here. His boyfriend almost fell over, moaning softly he caught himself with his hands, their faces now only inches apart. 

"Sexy… They're – " 

"So are we, ignore them Baby, it doesn't matter," His hips moved up a little further than before, and Shikamaru gasped. 

Dark eyes sought dark eyes and Shikamaru licked his lips, "You asked for it, Sexy…" He pulled back, moving out of his boyfriend almost completely, he changed his angle just a little before pushing back in. 

" _Aaah_ _ **fuck!**_ " 

Smiling, Shikamaru repeated the motion, his boyfriend's voice even louder this time as he all but screamed his name. Once more he pulled back, but this time it was Shino who shifted slightly, changing the angle of his next thrust, the paler boy was still panting, moaning loudly, but Shikamaru realized that hitting that intense bundle of nerves again right now would be too much for his lover, so he didn't try _–_ He would make the boy scream his name again later. _  
_

__##########...##########

 _Tuesday, nine-twenty-five PM, Shikaku and Yoshino's bedroom,  
_

Shikaku almost chuckled as he heard one of them cry out his son's name in ecstasy, grunting, he pushed back in, smiling back at his wife, "They're _loud_ …" He breathed, his slow thrusts uninterrupted. 

She nodded, biting her lip as her breath hitched slightly. When his thumb searched for and located the little nub he'd been looking for she gasped, throwing her head back as she writhed under him. 

"So slick…" He placed soft kisses along her throat, his body never interrupting the loving ministrations. 

##########...##########

 _Tuesday, nine-thirty PM, Shikamaru's bedroom,  
_

"Shi – Aaah – _Shika – Aaaah_ – _**Shikamaru!**_ " 

Shino's body convulsed under him, and the Nara smiled as he watched his lover's orgasm crash through him. But his body craved his own release, his thrusts almost unwillingly becoming but a little more forceful. Almost there… 

##########...##########

 _Tuesday, nine-thirty-five PM, Shikaku and Yoshino's bedroom,  
_

" _ **Fuck – Shino!**_ _"_

" _Oh god!_ _ **YES!**_ "

Shikaku Nara couldn't bit back a chuckle as his son's cry drowned out his wife's voice, burying his face between her breasts he pushed back in one more time, biting his lip to keep quiet as he certainly _didn't_ want his voice to be the last to sound through the Nara household. He didn't want to remind them of his presence right now. The teens had probably gotten the message anyway. So Shikaku only let out a low moan, and then a soft whimper as he extracted himself again. He let himself drop beside the love of his life, smiling at her as Yoshino brushed a few strands of sweaty hair away from his face. She kissed him softly before whispering, "Happy now, Papa Bear?" 

He chuckled again, she would only call him that when they were alone, with absolutely no-one around to hear it, "Very…" He was still panting, trying to catch his breath. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled his love half on top of him, "I love you, Yoshino." 

"I love you too…" She snuggled up to him, "Think we've embarrassed them enough yet?" She smirked up at him, her fingers toying with the dark curls on his chest. 

"Probably… They sure got mighty quiet for a while there," He chuckled, "But it's alright. As long as those three realize they're not the only ones getting off every now and then, right?" 

"Hmmm," She lay her head down on his chest again, "And how thin these walls are…" 

"And how thin these walls are," He chuckled again, "Sweet dreams, my Beloved." 

"Sweet dreams, Papa Bear…" She mumbled, obviously half-asleep already. He didn't mind, hugging her a little tighter for a second, before slowly slipping out of bed. He sighed, condoms were a pain sometimes…

##########...##########

 _Tuesday, nine-forty PM, Shikamaru's bedroom,  
_

Shikamaru stifled his chuckles, matching Shino's actions, "Oh my _god!_ I _never_ heard them before…" 

"Then it would seem they purposely kept quiet, Loverboy," Shino bit his lip, trying not to laugh out loud. His boyfriend let himself slide off of him, sitting on the edge of the bed for a minute. 

"Sexy…" He bit his lip as another series of chuckles shook him, "I think we won the match, though…" He looked back at his lover's, a grin on his face. But his features immediately softened when he caught sight of Choji. The Akimichi had somehow managed to fall asleep and his peaceful face always brought a little lump in his throat, "He's asleep already… God, I love that guy…" Leaning over, he softly kissed Shino on the lips, "I love you just as much, though…" 

The Aburame cupped his face with both his hands, placing sweet kisses all over Shikamaru's face, "I know, Baby. I am not jealous – he really _is_ extremely cute when he sleeps." 

Together they watched their boyfriend sleep for a little while, before Shikamaru yawned, "I'm gonna go to the bathroom real quick and then try to get some sleep, okay?" He watched his boyfriend nod, suddenly sure that Shino would be asleep before he returned. He put the lube back into the nightstand drawer and picked up his boxers, slipping them on before exciting the room. 

"Dad?" He suddenly whispered, shocked at the sight of his father wearing a similar lack of clothing as he stepped out of the bathroom. 

Shikaku chuckled, nodding at his son as he passed him in the hall. 

"No, wait, dad! Eh… I, eh…" He bit his lip, his whispered request now seeming foolish – he had nothing to tell this man! 

Shikaku turned back to his son, casually leaning against the wall, "It's fine, Shikamaru," He chuckled again, feeling his cheeks turn but a little pink, "We're just going to pretend none of this ever happened come tomorrow morning, right?" 

"Dude!" Startled, he lowered his voice, "We _so_ beat your ass…" 

He could hear his father clear his throat, an amused smile playing around thin lips, "Let's leave _my_ ass out of this, shall we?" 

Bright-red, Shikamaru took a small step back, muttering under his breath he suddenly sounded annoyed again in an attempt to hide his embarrassment, " _Troublesome man…_ " Turning into the bathroom, he didn't look at his father again. 

Shikaku chuckled once more before returning to his warm bed and his amazing wife.  
 _Maybe I'll be allowed to fix my mistakes after all…_


	35. The secret behind Kakashi's headaches

AUTHORS NOTE: Jaz gave me a review – which totally, completely, _undeniable_ made my day. The long silence on the review page was _really_ weighing me down…  
Anyway, reviews make chapters magically appear, so… Let's hope you'll like this one, too!  
I cried a little at the end of this chappy… It's so sad… Tell me what you think! 

##########...##########

 **The secret behind Kakashi's headaches**

##########...##########

 _Wednesday, seven-fifty-five AM, Iruka's apartment,  
_

Kakashi slowly pushed himself off of the bed, muttering, "Gai, damnit… Babe's key is _right there_ … On my chain, could've at least _tried_ … Damn, this hurts…" Eyes closed, he stumbled towards the door, keeping one hand on the wall at all times. He opened the door, turning immediately and stumbling back to his seat on the edge of the bed. Behind him, he could hear the door being closed almost without a sound. Soft footsteps followed him. Kakashi frowned, something was wrong, he turned on his heels, his back resting against the wall of Iruka's hallway. The sun was too bright for him to open his eyes, so he kept them closed. His tone quiet but harsh as he spoke, "You're _not_ Gai, nor Iruka. Who the _hell_ are you?" 

"It's me, brat," A strong hand wrapped around his arm, guiding him back to the bedroom. He managed to silently convey that he needed to sit on the bed, and she guided him there. Patting around on the bed, the copy ninja tried to locate the water bottle Gai had filled for him before leaving, hopefully there was still some water in it. 

"So… Iruka messed up, huh?" His fingers found the bottle, but he realized instantly that it was too light – empty. Kakashi sighed. 

"No, _you_ messed up," Gently, the bottle was pried out of his hands, and soft footsteps took it with them to the kitchen. When the footsteps returned, the bottle was placed in his hand, and the curtains were closed right after, "Well…" Tsunade said wryly, "That doesn't help much… Anyway," The bed beside him sank down a little as the woman sat down, "What's wrong, brat?" 

"Headache… But you know that already, so why do you ask?" He took a small sip of the water, moving a little ways away from her. 

"Don't you think it's about time you explain yourself?" 

"No," Another sip, "There's nothing to explain anyway." 

The woman beside him sighed softly, "When did this one begin, Kakashi?" 

He first took a sip, "Yesterday morning." 

"What were you doing the night before?" 

"Shino-Shika-Cho was here," He chuckled a little, then winced before taking another sip, "I walked them over to Shino's place." 

"Shino-Shika-Cho?" She chuckled too, "Well, that's _one_ way of putting it… What happened after?" 

"Chatted some," A small sip, "Went to bed." 

"Any rumpled bedding?" 

He sighed, took a sip and sighed again, "What if there was? What's it to you?" 

"I think I'm starting to see the cause of your headaches is all…" 

He barked a laugh, then winced, "Doubt it," Taking another sip, the copy ninja looked thoughtful. 

"Oh?" She cocked her head to the side, not that he noticed, "I think that these headaches are proceeded by a vast wave of loneliness on your part. _Every_ time. You two don't want to talk about it, which leads me to believe that this loneliness finds an outlet it something very private. The sex that's not actually sex. Apparently, you get clingy. Which –" 

"Shut up," His voice was hoarse, laced with fury, "Back off." 

"No. Do you want the painkillers, brat? If you do, you better start cooperating with me." 

He took another sip, before getting up. Eyes still closed, he walked over to the opposite wall, leaning against it, creating as much distance between their bodies as he possibly could, "I'd rather cope without the painkillers, then," He almost whispered. 

"Why?" Her tentative tone was soft. 

"Because it's… Too personal…" 

"Kakashi, I'm a medical ninja, I'm used to 'personal'. Are you afraid I'm going to make fun of you or something?" 

"No…" 

"Then what?" 

Suddenly, his eye opened, tears streaking his face. His hand gripped the bottle so tight his knuckles turned white as he yelled, "I _love_ him, alright?!" He slumped back against the wall, muttering, "I love him so much it hurts. It hurts so much that I can't breathe. And… Then I get scared. I get so scared that he'll leave me… And that hurts even _more_ …" Kakashi's knees gave way, and he slid down the wall, sitting down on the floor, he absentmindedly took another sip of water. 

Tsunade just nodded, "I figured. Does he know?" 

"No… He'd worry…" 

She chuckled humorlessly, "Think he's not worried _now_ , brat?" 

"Different…" 

"What's so different about it? Besides, if he knows that you're just afraid that he'll –" 

"Stop it!" He looked up at her, obviously in pain, but too furious to care right now, "Don't you tell him!" 

The door opened, and Gai hurried through the hallway, "Lady Hokage!" His eyes wide, he looked at Kakashi, "My friend, what happened here?" Squatting down beside the crying man, he rested one hand on Kakashi's shoulder, all but glaring at the Hokage. 

"I was just trying to figure out why my top jounin is plagued by headaches so bad he can't even open his eyes for days. And then he got upset," The blonde smiled wryly. 

Gai gently squeezed his best friends shoulder, "I've known why he has them for years, Lady Hokage, and it is not something that should be meddled in. Not by anyone," His tone was soft, but there was a sternness in there that could not be denied. 

"Gai…" Kakashi said softly, leaning into his friend's touch for but a moment, "Space…"  
Immediately, the other man moved away from him. 

"What's this then?" The blonde inquired. 

"It is between us, Lady Hokage. Please respect that." 

"Alright, then tell me why? Why the headaches?" 

Kakashi sighed, holding up his empty bottle. Gai took it, moving to the kitchen to refill. When he returned, the silver-haired man thanked him softly before taking a small sip. It wasn't until then that he finally settled his gaze on the woman on the bed, "I've been alone all my life. Gai's always been my only friend, the only one that stuck with me, no matter what. But… I needed… Something _else._ I just couldn't figure out _what_ … Gai tried to set me up with a couple girls, but that… Didn't work. And then I… I was asked to help out with the chuunin exams one year. And… I saw him. I saw Iruka. And I… I fell in love with him. Gai was the only one that knew, the only one that was aware of the fact that the famous copy ninja had stooped to stalking one of his own comrades…" He took another sip, letting out a shaky breath, "And that hole, that hole that had always been there… It started to shrink. Every time he would smile at me, every time he would use my name, it would get smaller. But it wouldn't go away. And I… I got older, and… Well," He chuckled, "I lost my virginity, and somehow, a few things started to make sense to me… Like the fact that girls are a huge turn-off, or that… _Relaxing_ isn't something I can actually _do_ … And… And that I'm not… That that hole can disappear for a short time…" Another sip interrupted his account. And this time, he didn't speak up again. Staring at the floor, the silver-haired man just sat there. 

Minutes ticked by, and nobody spoke up. Eventually, Tsunade's patience ran out, "Why the headaches, Kakashi? What makes the hole disappear?" 

But he didn't respond at all. In his stead, Gai spoke up, softly as if the very words hurt him, "There is something he needs Iruka to say to him. But the man has to come to that conclusion on his own, if he does not… It's useless. So we wait. And in the meantime, I do my best to be his shield, to keep all the people asking about it away from him. You being here is not a good thing, Lady Hokage. I am sorry, but I have to take care of my friend. I have to ask you to leave now." _  
_

"Not happening, brat. Kakashi, what do you need him to tell you?" 

But he remained unresponsive, the only indication that he hadn't been turned to stone were the small sips of water he kept taking. Gai sighed, "Not even I know that, Lady Hokage. Please, leave him alone now." 

But she ignored him, "Do you need him to tell you he's not leaving?" 

No reply, and Gai moved to stand in the woman's line of sight, "Please leave, Lady Hokage." 

She stood, walking around the man to kneel before Kakashi, "What do you need, Kakashi?" 

"Medication, and for you to leave," He didn't look at her, took another sip. 

The woman sighed, rising to her feet, "Fine," She handed Gai a small bag, "That's the last your getting, though. I can't keep giving you something as strong as this. Not when there's an actual solution," She left, then, all but slamming the front door behind her. 

Kakashi looked up, his eye glistening with unshed tears, "Gai, there's a red spoon in the drawer, two spoonfuls of that stuff, one of sugar in a full glass of water. Leave the spoon in. And…" He sighed, "I'll have to eat something first…" 

##########...##########

 _Wednesday, eight-thirty-five AM, Iruka's apartment,  
_

Maito Gai peeked into the fridge of Iruka Umino and chuckled. The thing was littered with ramen take-out boxes and other leftovers, "So you never through anything out, do you Iruka?" He mumbled, before shifting through the contents of the fridge. He soon found something he could use and picked the container out, setting it on the counter as he went to look for a small pot to warm Kakashi's food in. 

While stirring, he checked the drawer Kakashi'd spoken about, looking for the red spoon. It was easily located, and Gai placed it on the counter, before grabbing a glass from one of the upper cabinets.  
 _Just warm will have to do, I don't want to keep my friend waiting for too long, and if it's too hot he'll have to wait even longer… Now… I'll need a bowl, why didn't I think of that sooner?  
_

Moving around the small kitchen, Gai went in search of wherever it was that Iruka kept the dishes, but he couldn't locate them. So instead the jounin settled on a large mug – it would just have to do. 

He sat everything on a tray and walked back into the other room, smiling lightly as he noticed his best friend had managed to set himself on the cushions around Iruka's low table, even though his eyes were still closed, "I tried to find something that would be easy to swallow and keep down, my friend," He sat the tray down before the silver-haired man, "I wanted to make sure you could eat right away, so it may not be as hot as you'd like, but…" 

But Kakashi chuckled lightly, wincing immediately, "Corn soup, Gai? It's actually a pretty good idea…" He added thoughtfully. 

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't find the bowls, so I just put it in a mug…" He sat down across from his friend, studying the other man to see how he was doing. 

"It's fine, easier if I'm honest, so…" He slid down the mask, pulling a little face as the full smell of his breakfast hit his nostrils, "Here goes, I guess…"  
Picking up the cup, Kakashi emptied it in one go, wiping his mouth with his hand after, "Could've been worse…" He coughed, wincing in pain. 

"Should I have chosen something else?" Gai asked him worriedly. 

"No Gai, I just… Really can't eat anything. But I have to, because that stuff'll burn right through my stomach if I don't. Iruka's always pushing me to eat beforehand, but…" He sighed softly, "He doesn't really realize that I would either way… I just… It's kind of irresistible to tease him a little, no matter how much my head hurts…" He chuckled again, stirring the contents of the glass, "Two parts poison, one of sugar, right?" 

Gai raised on eyebrow at the mention of the word 'poison', but concurred. He watched in sympathy as Kakashi's face scrunched up even more at the taste of the medicine than it had when he smelled and drank the soup, "Does it really taste that awful, my friend?" He inquired softly. 

Another light chuckle, another wince, "Gai… I asked you to put _sugar_ in it, didn't I? And you know how much I hate sweets, so… Yeah, it really tastes _that_ awful. But it works, so…"

"How long until it kicks in?" 

"Depends… It's pretty bad right now so I'd say…" He moved back a little, leaning his back against the bed, "Ten to twenty minutes before it _starts_ to work, another fifteen or so before it actually kicks in…" 

Gai sighed silently.  
 _My best friend is in so much pain, and all I can do for him is give him a painkiller that's akin to poison…_

 __He picked up the tray and the empty water bottle, taking them over to the kitchen. Filing the bottle first, he brought it back to Kakashi before turning to wash the dishes. Iruka's apartment was always immaculate and Gai didn't want to upset the younger man by leaving a mess. Clearly the chuunin was a bit of a neat freak; when he and Kakashi'd gotten together, the jounin's apartment had undergone a true transformation – the once cluttered and messy place was now a haven of cleanliness and peace. Until Iruka got busy with something at work and didn't have time to come over for a few days, then it would descend into the chaos he knew Kakashi's apartment to be once more. He chuckled lightly, the two were so different and still… They fit together so perfectly.

The first few months the two men had been together, Gai had been the only one that knew. _He_ was the one Kakashi voiced his fear of the other jounin to, about how they might turn on Iruka instead of him when they came out as a couple together. _He_ had been the one to calm the silver-haired man's nerves. To stand by his side throughout the initial teasing in the Jounin Lounge. _He_ had been the one to tell off Asuma when he complained about the chuunin entering _their_ Lounge when he needed to talk to Kakashi. Gai had shielded his friend from the nasty comments that had surfaced after that, he'd done everything he possibly could to keep his best friend safe, keep him happy. Kakashi didn't even _know_ about the things that had been whispered behind his back. Gai was pretty sure Iruka knew, or at least had a pretty good idea. But they'd never spoken about it. 

_Actually… Iruka and I have never really spoken, period. He seems to really dislike me, although I cannot say I do not see why… Not only am I known for my loudness, I am also his boyfriend's best friend – And Kakashi tells me almost everything. Iruka knows this, I wonder if he thinks Kakashi shares the more intimate details of their relationship also? He does not, he knows I do not want to know about it, but… That does not mean that Iruka would not believe it, does it? Have they ever spoken about it? I doubt it.  
_ Gai sighed. 

_I like Iruka, I really do. He has been good to my friend, but not only that, he is just generally a really good guy. A nice guy, but not without some edges. His sarcasm is one of the funniest things I have ever heard, and he is easy to get along with. I sort of wish we could be friends. Not that I need him to be my other best friend or something… But I just wish he would not turn his back every time he sees me. I wish we could just talk together and not have these awkward silences all of the time. After all… He is the man that Kakashi loves.  
_

"Gai?" Kakashi was leaning against the doorframe, hands in his pockets, eye squinting just a little, "What the hell are you doing?" 

He didn't turn, kept washing the dishes, "Giving you some space…" 

"Yeah, not that I don't appreciate that and all, but… Does it _really_ take you forty minutes to wash a glass, a mug and two spoons?" 

"Ah…" Gai stared at the mug in his hands, suddenly realizing he'd washed it at least a dozen times already while he was lost in thought, "Guess not…" Quickly setting the clean dishes aside, he grabbed a dishtowel, "I am sorry, my friend. I suppose I got a little lost in my own thoughts." 

"I noticed," A light chuckle emerged from the silver-haired man and he didn't even wince this time, "What were you thinking about?" 

Gai opened the cupboard, setting the glass and the mug back in their place as he answered truthfully, "Iruka." 

"Does that mean I suddenly have competition?" Kakashi walked over, filling the water bottle at the sink beside his friend. 

"No… Does this mean I don't have to stay as far away from you as I can anymore?" 

Kakashi shrugged a little uncomfortably, "I guess, just don't touch me, okay? Now… What's this about my boyfriend?" He leaned back against the wall, taking a small sip of water. 

Gai turned to him, leaning his hip against the counter as he placed the spoons back in the drawer, "I was just thinking how I sort of regret it that your cute little chuunin seems to hate me…" 

"Calling him that isn't going to help, Gai," Kakashi chuckled again, "Even if he _is_ a cute little chuunin…" 

Gai frowned a little, "Does he think you tell me about your sex life?" 

"Huh?" The other man looked at him quizzically for a moment, "I… We never actually talked about that… Maybe he does? I don't know, Gai. Does it bother you?" 

"I believe it bothers _him_." 

Kakashi smiled fondly, "Babe's pretty open-minded though, Gai. I wouldn't go as far as thinking he'd actually have that big of an issue with it…" 

Crossing his arms before his chest, the taijutsu master glared at his best friend, "Don't say that unless you are absolutely certain, Kakashi. I realize he might just not like my personality, but… He kisses you in front of pretty much everyone, right?" 

Kakashi shrugged a little, "So?" 

"He always looks anxious to do so when I am around. And he severely dislikes the fact that I am even _here_ right now," Gai counted on his fingers, "He tries not to have to talk to me. He attempts to avoid running into me. He never, _ever_ , makes eye contact with me. He's tried to keep you away from me at some point, when that didn't work he basically tried to scare me off," The man sighed, "Even though Iruka _may_ have seemed to accept the fact that I will not be deterred, he _still_ manages to stay away from me as much as he possibly can. The _only_ reason I am here right now is because he worries for _you_. Which he shouldn't even _need_ to do, because he can damn well _fix_ you!" 

Kakashi swallowed, staring at the man before him. He couldn't manage to voice a reply, his mouth opening and closing in an attempt to make some words come out. 

"Kakashi…" Gai sighed again, "Do you _really_ not see it? Are you _so_ emotionally stunted that you cannot _see_ the man loves you with all his heart?" 

The silver-haired man looked away, "Gai… It's not about that…" 

"I know. I know you need something else from him, even though I am unsure if even _you_ know exactly what that 'something' is. All this talk about how you need him to tell you something… I'm pretty damn sure it's just another manifestation of your fear of commitment…" 

Kakashi slumped, tears pooling in that single eye, "It's not Gai… I swear it's not… It's just…" 

"Then _what,_ Kakashi? For crying out loud, _what_ do you fucking _need_ from the man? He's given you _everything_ , you _spoiled_ little brat!" 

He closed his eye, swallowing, "I need him to tell me I'm his, Gai. I need him to close my cage, to stop my wandering. I need him to tell me that I am his, to do with as he pleases."


	36. Grow as a person, a lover, a friend

AUTHORS NOTE: Jaz gave me a review, so here's another chappy ^.^ Hope you'll enjoy, hope you'll tell me if you did ;)

##########...##########

 **Grow as a person, a lover, a friend**

##########...##########

 _Wednesday, seven-fifty AM, Nara kitchen,  
_

Shikaku Nara smiled as he placed his chopsticks down, "Thanks for the amazing meal, Choji." 

The Akimichi bowed his head in acknowledgement, trying his best not to remember the sounds that had erupted from this same man just last night. Shikaku noticed, winking at the boy, "We have thin walls here, boy, get used to it," The man got to his feet, stretching his muscles, "I have to get to work, got to get the papers in order before Kakashi takes them with him tomorrow morning…" 

"Kakashi?" Shikamaru's head shot up, "For the Hidden Stone?" 

"Yeah… He told you guys, huh?" 

"He did, Kakashi-sensei does not seem to be looking forward to this mission." 

"Shino," Shikaku chuckled, " _Nobody_ ever looks forward to having to deal with the Tsuchikage, but we need to sent those papers over anyway. They'll be guarded by two jounin, Kakashi and Gai this time around. Honestly, I'd rather add a third, but we don't have one available right now. Besides, those two work well together, adding a third might cause trouble…" Walking off, the commander wished them all a good day before leaving the kitchen. 

"Well," Yoshino smiled, "Since you two promised to take care of the dishes, I'm going to do some shopping today, maybe meet a friend for lunch…" She too, stood, "You're on your own for the day, boys." 

Shikamaru nodded, as did his boyfriends, and the woman walked off. Getting up, Shino silently gathered the plates, walking over to the sink. Shikamaru followed with the rest of the dishes, and Choji picked up the pot with miso. 

"Oh no, you don't," Shikamaru chuckled, "You did the cooking, _we_ take care of the dishes, remember? Just hand that over and go find yourself something fun to do for a little while," Walking over, he took the pot out of the Akimichi's hands.

"But… Without you two, there's nothing to do…" He whined softly. 

Shino chuckled, joining his boyfriends at the table he gave Choji a soft kiss on the tip of his nose, "I am sure you are exaggerating, Buttercup." 

He pulled a face, "No I'm not…" 

"Pumpkin, just let us do our part real quick okay? We'll find something else to do after…" Shikamaru winked at him, and Choji sighed. 

"What is the matter, Hun?" 

The Akimichi dropped himself in the nearest chair, "Look, not that I don't like making out with you guys and… _More_ … But, isn't that kind of all we ever do? I know you two are addicted or something, but…" He sighed again. 

Shino sat down at his feet, looking up with a soft smile on his face, "I _am_ addicted. To you, to Shikamaru. To your _presence._ I do not pretend to be able to read Loverboy's mind, but I am quite certain he feels the same," He looked up at Shikamaru for a moment, and the Nara nodded, so Shino continued, "Yes, we _are_ quite obsessed with sex, maybe that is in part because it is still a new experience, but… Buttercup, that does _not_ mean that it is the only thing on my mind." 

"Nor mine," Shikamaru smirked, "Although you look _really_ cute when you're upset and it kinda makes me wanna kiss you… Cheer you up again, you know?" Standing behind Shino, he placed his hands on the Aburame's shoulders, "Look Pumpkin, we've only been together for a little while… _Dating_ sort of together, I mean. And maybe we've indulged ourselves a little too much – all the things we could never do together before, even though we _wanted_ to. But," He smirked again, "I think you're right, and – heh, Kakashi may be right, too – it's about time we grow up a little…" 

Shino blinked, "Loverboy… I never thought _you_ would be the first to say it…" 

"I didn't, Pumpkin made it _more_ than clear yesterday…" 

Choji chuckled, "How about you two take care of the dishes, and we just play a board game or something after? Just chat a little?" He sounded more than a little hopeful, and his boyfriends quickly agreed. Though Shino was adamant that they'd forgo strategy games – saying he was quite competitive and did not like the idea of knowing he would lose before the game had even been placed on the table. It made his boyfriends chuckle, but they agreed.

##########...##########

 _Wednesday, nine-forty AM, Konoha streets,  
_

Yoshino was smiling, almost humming as she walked from store to store, the amount of bags dangling from her arms already bordered on dangerous, but she didn't care. For the first time in years, Yoshino Nara simply didn't _care_. So what if she was buying clothes that she would most likely never even wear? So what if she was spending way too much money on them? Her son was happy, her husband was finally coming around and she… She was happy as well.  
 _Shikamaru told me he loves me, Shikakau is trying to make things right again. Shino and Choji are good boys, they will be good for him. They make him so happy, it makes me happy as well. And Shikaku is realizing the same thing. After all these years things might actually go right for a change.  
_

She nodded at Shizune in passing, Yoshino'd always liked the woman. Neji Hyuga was walking not far behind her and Yoshino nodded at him too. But the boy seemed to ignore her. She frowned, but then realized that teenagers always seem to have other things on their mind. 

_Who knows? Maybe he has a crush too… Neji's actually quite the looker, if you're not put off by those freaky eyes of his… I don't know, it always feels like those Hyuga's look right through you.  
_ She nearly chuckled. _  
Maybe they do. Let's face it, teenage boys are hormonal by nature, and if you've got a set of eyes that can look right through basically anything… Who knows how many girls he's literally undressed with his eyes? He may seem to be so well-behaved, but Shino seems the same, and from what we heard last night, I guess we can safely say that he's a teenager after all…  
_

##########...##########

 _Wednesday, nine-forty AM, Konoha streets,  
_

Neji didn't notice Yoshino's polite nod nor her questioning gaze, lost in his own thoughts, the Hyuga wandered the city streets. Hoping that some distraction might arise and pull him away from his depressing thoughts about Shino Aburame. No matter what he did to counter it, Neji's thoughts always seemed to return to Shino. 

_I am starting to wish that I had never asked him out, that I had never even met him…  
_

##########...##########

 _Wednesday, eleven-forty-five AM, Nara kitchen,  
_

"Loverboy…" Shino sighed, "Isn't there _any_ game you are actually _bad_ at?" 

Shikamaru chuckled, "Sorry to break it to ya Sexy, but… _No._ " 

"That's not true," Choji got up to refill their glasses, and grab another bag of potato chips since he was getting up anyway, "Hotstuff sucks at poker." 

"You're _worse_ ," He frowned, "How can you even _judge_ whether or not I'm any good?" 

Choji shrugged, trying to decide between the barbeque flavored chips and a novelty flavor that supposedly made them taste like strawberry cake, "Kiba beat you." 

"Buttercup, Kiba beats _everyone_ at poker… That is why I never play with him, since always insists to play for either money or favors." 

" _Favors_?" The Nara raised one eyebrow. 

"Not _that_ kind, Loverboy. But I have been roped into doing his paperwork more times than I can count." 

In the kitchen area, Choji shrugged again, deciding to take both bags with him. Adding a bottle of soda to his load, he walked back, "You have a poker set right, Hotstuff?" 

"It's actually my dad's, but he's never minded if I borrowed it before, so…" He got up, walking over to the living room to grab the case. 

"Can we have lunch first, though? I am getting a little hungry…" Pushing away the offered chip bag, Shino frowned lightly, "I am sorry Honey, but I cannot live on snacks alone. Besides, even the _smell_ of that is enough to make me want to gag," He pulled a little face at Choji's pout, "You know I detest strong flavors, Hun…" 

"I know… But doesn't that kind of mean that I'm not allowed to kiss you right now?" Standing next to his lover, Choji regretfully set the bag of strawberry cake chips aside – surprisingly enough, they actually _did_ taste like strawberry cake. And chips. They tasted _mostly_ like chips. 

Shino chuckled, "Drink some water," He offered. 

The Akimichi huffed, " _Fine_ …" 

As he walked back to the kitchen area, Shino chuckled again, but his chuckles got cut off by Shikamaru's lips on his. The Nara kissed him hungrily, easily slipping unto the other boy's lap. As Choji turned back to them, he huffed again, setting his hands on his hips. 

"Now that's just _mean_." 

Pulling out of the kiss, Shikamaru chuckled, "Your own fault, Sweetcheeks…" 

Shino chuckled too, but softly pushed the Nara off, walking over to Choji instead. Cupping the boy's face, he pressed their lips together, pushing the Akimichi back so he was leaning against the counter. He kissed him passionately, disregarding the lingering taste of strawberry cake flavored chips. He'd already accepted that this was part of loving Choji Akimichi the first time he'd ever kissed the boy. The suggestion from before was more or less his way of testing to see if Choji cared about it at all. The simple fact that Choji had actually taken his suggestion – even if it did _nothing_ to fix the problem – was enough for Shino. 

Behind them, Shikamaru moaned softly, and it broke their kiss as both his boyfriends couldn't resist chuckling, "Hotstuff, it's just a _kiss_!" Choji giggled, wrapping his arms around Shino and hugging him tight. 

"Still hot. Besides, I can't help what my body does…" He walked over, hugging his boyfriends together, "But I actually thought that lunch sounded pretty damn good…" 

So they quickly prepared lunch. It was a little crowded with all three of them in the kitchen, and the quick kisses and almost nonchalant touches didn't help their pace any either. But eventually they sat down, meal in front of them. As when they were playing board games, Shikamaru was still seated in the middle, but on the head of the table, his boyfriends flanking him on either side of the table. 

"You know guys," He drawled, picking a piece of fried fish, "I think I kinda like this set-up…" 

"You mean that we can now see both our boyfriends at the same time?" Shino picked up his bowl of vegetable soup, taking a sip. 

"Yeah… I mean, not like I'm complaining or anything… I think it's just a nice change…" He chewed thoughtfully, before winking at Choji, "And let's get one thing straight; Choji's the best cook on the _planet_!" 

The Akimichi chuckled, "I think Iruka-sensei's amazing too, though. I'm not all that good…" 

"Yes you are, Buttercup. Though I _am_ slightly curious about Kakashi-sensei's cooking. If Iruka-sensei says he is actually the _better_ cook of the two…" 

"Then we just have to get ourselves invited to stay over for dinner again, right?" Shikamaru smirked. 

"Uh, Hotstuff…? Didn't Kakashi-sensei say that Iruka-sensei likes to show off his cooking?" 

"Hmmm, you're right, maybe we just have to ask then…" The Nara sighed, " _Boring_ …" 

His boyfriends just chuckled. Sometimes, Shikamaru just got bored a little _too_ easily… 

##########...##########

 _Wednesday, four-fifty PM, Iruka's apartment,_

The second he opened the door to his apartment, Iruka sighed in relief. Kakashi was laughing, _really_ laughing. Not that pained headache chuckle. He could almost _see_ his boyfriend rolling around on the bed right now. So he called out, "I'm home!" 

Kakashi immediately appeared in the doorway, even the mask couldn't hide his huge grin, "Babe! Welcome back!" 

He grabbed Iruka's hands as soon as the younger man had shed his sandals and pulled him into the room. Iruka chuckled, glancing around the room. Gai was comfortably sitting at his table, but it didn't bother him as much as it usually did, the curtains were open and the place looked pretty much the same as always, but Kakashi's radiant happiness suddenly made it feel so much brighter, larger, _better,_ "So I take it you're feeling better again?" 

He nodded, turning serious for a moment, "Lady Tsunade came by… I got another bag but that's the last she's giving me. We kind of had a falling out…" He frowned. 

"What happened?" 

Sighing, Kakashi leaned against the wall, but he didn't relinquish his hold on Iruka's hands, "Love, what did you tell her?" 

Iruka worried the inside of his lip, shooting Gai a hesitant look, "Just that we ran out, that I make sure you follow her rules and that the headache started yesterday morning…" 

Another sigh emanated from the copy ninja, "That's not _all_ you told her, is it Love? According to _her_ , I get _clingy_ , and there was only _one_ person who knew that little fact this morning…" 

Iruka sighed now too, "I'm sorry Sweetheart, she gave me that look… You know which one I mean, right?" 

"I do, but why didn't you just tell me?" A small frown reappeared on the silver-haired man's face. 

Smiling apologetically, Iruka pulled one hand free, gingerly pointing at Gai. The jounin hadn't moved during their conversation, but now he chuckled, "Iruka, where did you think I _was_ today?" 

Iruka sighed softly, "I'm sorry Gai… I guess I just… Never mind," He softly shook his head before throwing his boyfriend a questioning look, "Are you mad at me?" 

A humorless chuckle shook the older man, "No Iruka. The woman has her ways after all. I just wish you'd tell me things like that. You're always trying to protect me, and you act like I can't even _see_ that…" 

"I'm sorry, I just –" 

"It doesn't matter, Iruka. Or at least, not right now. We'll talk about it later, okay?" Receiving a timid nod from the chuunin, Kakashi continued, "There's actually… " He sighed again, frowning lightly, "Love, you don't think I tell Gai about our sex life, do you?" 

Startled, the brunette tried to pull away, but Kakashi had recaptured his once-free hand again and showed absolutely no intention of letting go right now. Flushed, he threw the spandex-clad jounin a shy look, before looking down, his voice sounding very small all of the sudden, "Don't you?" 

"What?!" Kakashi almost laughed, " _No!_ " 

"So I was right after all, my friend. Honestly Iruka, he does not," Gai pulled a little face, muttering, "Thank god…" 

Iruka frowned, still not looking up, "Why are we talking about this all of the sudden?" 

Kakashi's voice was soft, tenderly lifting his lover's chin a little so he could look him in the eyes, "Gai seems convinced that's why you hate him." 

He frowned, pulling his head out of his boyfriend's hold, "I don't _hate_ him!" 

Gai sighed softly, "Strong dislike then, call it what you will, Iruka. All I know is that you seem inclined to do everything in your power to stay as far away from me as you possibly can." 

The frown deepened, angry eyes trained on the jounin at the table, "You're _here_ , aren't you?" 

"For Kakashi's sake. You realize that if you had not been so concerned about him, I would have been kicked out the minute you came home, right?" 

"I'm _not_ concerned, Gai. He was laughing his ass off when I came in! Besides, I've never kicked you out," Pulling his hands out of Kakashi's hold with force, he crossed his arms before his chest, angrily staring at Gai. 

But the older man smiled softly, shaking his head a little, "Gai, we really need some alone time now; Gai, don't you have other things to do? Gai, I think I saw Lee looking for you; Gai –" 

" _Fine!_ I _get_ it! So _what?!_ I can't even be alone with my boyfriend in my _own_ apartment?!" His hands resting on his hips now, Iruka loomed over the other man. 

But Gai didn't flinch. His tone still soft as he spoke, "Of course you can. And I do not have a problem with that. What _does_ upset me a little, is the fact that you seem to be trying to keep my best friend away from me," As Iruka opened his mouth to interrupt, he held up one hand, "No, please let me finish, Iruka. I realize that you are always in the village, while Kakashi and I travel a lot. And when he returns, of course you want to be with him. But why is it wrong for me to ask him to join me for dinner after _I_ return from a long mission? Can I not miss my friend? Need someone to talk to after the trials of another long and hard mission? Why do you insist on interrupting our conversation every time you see us outside together? Pull him along within seconds? Why is it that the only words I get from you are either thinly veiled requests to scram or harsh retorts, Iruka?" 

Iruka stayed silent, moving a small step away and pushing his hands deep inside his pockets. An arm was wrapped around his waist, and Kakashi's soft voice added to the guilt he already felt, "You won't kiss me when Gai's around, you'll hardly touch me. You always seem incredibly glad when he's either left the apartment, whether that be yours or mine, or left behind. I don't understand it, Love." 

Iruka sighed, swallowing hard, "I don't really do either, I'm sorry Gai, I really am. I just…" A humorless chuckle shook him, "I know he turned to you when we first started dating, I know you've been keeping most of the nasty comments away from him. And I was grateful for that. At first," He pulled a face, "And then a thought hit me, and I haven't been able to shake it since; Kakashi always comes to _you_ when things go bad. Whether it be a mission that upset him, or his colleagues, he comes to _you_. Not me. I'm only allowed to see him once he's calmed down again. And that hurts, Gai. Like my heart gets ripped out every time he disappears and I find out later that he was with you. And…" He turned his attention back to Kakashi, who was all but crying at this point, "You're always saying how Gai was there for you when no-one else was, how you can talk to him about _anything_. How can I _not_ assume that means _me_ as well?" He wiggled free, dropping himself on the cushions across from Gai. 

Kakashi swallowed before walking over and sitting down beside Iruka, "It does, I do. I tell him how happy I am that you're with me on a regular basis, I also ask him if he knows about any good restaurants to take you, or if he thinks a thousand roses is a bit much," He chuckled, "Gai helps me plan surprises for you sometimes. And he's the one that knocked some sense back into my brain after we had that huge fight about the Hyuga-bastard. Made me realize I was being a dick. But mostly, We talk about training, the progress of our gennin-now-turned-chuunin, the tough missions I don't want to bother you with because I know how scared you would get if you knew _exactly_ how many times I've almost died since we got together…" 

Iruka blinked, but curiosity won over everything else at the moment, "What's the count?" 

Kakashi looked confused, but Gai answered him, "Since you officially began dating? He's almost-died eight times." 

The brunette gasped, " _In less than a year?!"_

"Gai… That's _exactly_ why I didn't want to tell him…" 

"It doesn't matter what you think about it, my friend. He has a right to know after all. Let the man decide for himself if he's able to handle hearing these things. He's not a sixteen-year-old with a brand new chuunin flack vest anymore, Kakashi. He's a shinobi, like you and me." 

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Gai, but…" Iruka swallowed, "I don't think I want to know…" 

Gai smiled softly, "You are a kind soul, Iruka. That is why you make such an amazing teacher, why you put the people around you at ease. But it is also why you withdrew from active duty, is it not? So maybe you _shouldn't_ hear about your boyfriend courting death, nor do you need the knowledge of how many of his enemies he has put in the grave instead. But I _do_ believe that it should be _your_ decision to make, I always have." 

"As you've told me every single time, Gai. But _look_ at him, I fell for _chocolate,_ not vanilla!" 

Kakashi's little joke about his boyfriend's sudden pale complexion seemed to lighten the mood somewhat, and as the three man chuckled, the copy ninja winked at his best friend, calmly pulling down the mask. When the chuckles died down, he took a gentle hold of Iruka's chin once more, tilting his head slightly to place a loving kiss on soft lips. Iruka shied away, but Kakashi's hand held his head him place, the older man's tongue requesting entrance. 

But Iruka pushed him away, throwing a shy look across the table. Kakashi shook his head softly, getting up, "Point proven, Babe. You won't kiss me if Gai's around…" 

He started for the kitchen, intending to put on some water for tea, but Iruka moved quickly. Getting up, he pushed his boyfriend's back against the wall, "Tell me something, Kakashi. What is the most personal thing you've ever told him about me?" 

Kakashi blinked, but considered the question seriously for a few seconds, "I think… That it's the best sex I've ever had. But there've never been details, Love. He doesn't want to hear it, and I don't want to share." 

Iruka sighed, looking back at Gai, "What would you say?" 

He quirked one eyebrow, "Most personal? That you're cranky in the morning. Which to _me_ , at least, is a lot more personal than the other thing. Because it means that you're still _together_ in the morning. To be fair, he told me that a while ago, leaving me to assume that he was most likely talking about the first time you slept together…" 

Suddenly, Iruka laughed, throwing his head back as he did so. Finally calming down, he used one hand to wipe the tears of his face, using his knee to pin his boyfriend against the wall instead, "No Gai, he wasn't. That was the… _Fourth_ time, I think…" He turned back to Kakashi, "When you accidentally banged my head against the wall… I woke up with a _headache_ , Sweety…" 

Kakashi shrugged, feeling a little adventurous – although this was probably bordering on the edge of _dangerous,_ "Should've just fucked me again, fucking does _wonders_ for your headache…" 

The brunette sighed melodramatically, "No, Sweetheart, that only works for _you_. But…" He threw Gai another look, his expression thoughtful, "That _does_ kind of solve a problem for me," Turning his head back, he pressed Kakashi hard against the wall, pressing his lips against his boyfriend's passionately. Kakashi's lips immediately parted, though he left the decision up to him. Iruka didn't bother with ceremony, plunging his tongue in the moment Kakashi opened up to him. 

Behind them, Gai chuckled softly, turning his head away.  
 _Why does this make me feel almost happy he never wanted to kiss Kakashi in front of me before? This level if intimacy is a little bit embarrassing to witness…  
But I am glad that the air has finally been cleared. Maybe now we can be around each other normally. And tomorrow morning we are leaving – I just hope those two don't get so carried away tonight that they forget all about it. Wait, we still have a meeting for our mission at eight tonight do we not?  
_

He shot the two lovers a quick glance.  
 _Let's not disturb them right now…_

##########...##########

 _Wednesday, five-ten PM, Nara Kitchen  
_

As Yoshino strolled back into the kitchen, bags in hand, she found the three boys sitting at the kitchen table, calmly playing cards. She smiled again.  
 _They really have a proper relationship going, huh? They're going to make it, I think. Now all that we need is for Shikaku to see it too.  
_

Shikamaru looked up, "Welcome back mom," A soft smile appeared on his face as he added, "I love you." 

All she could do was wipe the tear out of her eye. _  
_


	37. Three aces, two kings

AUTHORS NOTE: I got _**two**_ reviews! So happy right now! So here´s another chappy, I hope you´ll enjoy. For the record, I don't play poker and I know nothing about it, but my sister´s pretty much a poker genius who hardly ever loses, so I just made use of her knowledge. If there´s any screw-up's here, they´re hers ;) Although it could just be that she was thinking of a different variety than you, there seem to be so _many_. 

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate, may the holidays bring cheer, but leave enough time to catch up on all your fics ;)

##########...##########

 **Three aces, two kings**

##########...##########

 _Wednesday, nine-fifteen PM, Konoha Streets_

They slowly walked together, the copy ninja with his nose buried in his book. He'd whipped the damn thing out the second their meeting was over. But Shikaku decided not to let that deter him as he had something important to say to the younger man. 

"Kakashi…" 

"Hmmm?" 

"I wanted to thank you for being there for my son, and Choji and Shino as well. They needed someone to guide them a little, and I let them down. But I'm happy and grateful for you picking up my slack." 

"It wasn't a chore, Shikaku. They're good kids." 

The silver-haired man kept reading, but Shikaku knew that his attention was mostly focused on their conversation, years of working with the man had taught him that much, at least. 

"They are, and you're right. But still… Thanks." 

"You're welcome." 

They walked in silence for another few minutes.  
Until Kakashi suddenly put the book away, looking the older man square in the eyes. 

"Is it because they're gay?" 

The jounin commander found himself rubbing the back of his neck, "No, I don't…" He trailed off. 

"Do you have a problem with Iruka and me?" 

"Of _course_ not!" Shikaku scoffed. 

"Could've fooled me…" He whipped out his book again, started reading. 

"Kakashi, I _don't_ have a problem with you and Iruka. It's just… _You_ and _Iruka_ …" 

"Ah… The schoolteacher/pervert thing, yeah, we get that a lot…" 

"No, it's not like that…" The Nara frowned, "Is it?" 

"You tell me, Shikaku. I can't see inside your head…" 

"Kakashi, look…" He rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably, "You're a good guy, Iruka's a good guy… I don't really care who falls in love with whom, it's just… I dunno…" 

"It's the sex, right?" The younger man looked up at him again, "That's the problem, the fact that we have sex." 

Shikaku sighed, "I'll admit it gets a little complicated in my head when the thought of you two sleeping together pops up…" 

He watched Kakashi's eye crinkle, somehow, it looked mischievous, "Oh, but we don't really _sleep_ together much. That just feels like _such_ a waste of time…" 

Shikaku couldn't help but smile at the other's attempt to break the tension.  
"Yeah, I know how it is… You're away on missions, sometimes for weeks at a time, never knowing when you'll be leaving again once you're home… It's tough, sometimes." 

"Yeah… Meanwhile Iruka's here, having fun with the kids, hoping I don't come home all bloody and broken again…" 

There was a strain in the younger man's voice – suppressed tears, maybe? 

"I do that way too much, you know. Come home all bloody and broken… Iruka doesn't like it very much…" 

"It's hard to see your loved ones get hurt," Shikaku offered. 

"I suppose… Well, this is my stop. Good night, Shikaku." 

The jounin started up the stairs of what was undoubtedly Iruka's apartment.  
Shikaku tried not to cringe as he saw the teacher leaning on the balcony wall, Iruka waved at him, so he returned the greeting. But he refused to stick around for the most definitely more _intimate_ greeting the man would share with his lover. 

Shikaku was pretty sure he didn't want to see that. So when Kakashi appeared, sliding open the balcony doors, the commander turned on his heels and left.  
Slowly getting lost in his own thoughts.

##########...##########

 _Wednesday, nine-twenty-five PM, Iruka's balcony,_

Up on the balcony, Kakashi let one hand ghost over Iruka's bottom. Knowing the wall would shield this view from just about all angles. 

"I'm home, love," He spoke softly. 

His lover leaned back against him for a moment before returning to rest his arms on the low wall in front of him. 

"So Shikaku is finally coming around?" 

"Starting to," Kakashi moved to stand next to his boyfriend, their bodies all but touching, "I love you." 

"I love you, too." 

##########...##########

 _Wednesday, nine-forty PM, Shikamaru's bedroom,_

Shikaku knocked on the door of his son's bedroom. He could hear the three boys inside, calmly talking.  
When someone – Choji, probably – called to come in, he did. Feeling a slight pang in his chest at the memory of the time he´d forgotten to knock. 

"Well, that's a sight I did not expect to see…" 

The three heirs sat in a circle on the floor, playing cards. 

"Wait, that's not strip poker, is it?" He added, noticing Shino's hoodie lay discarded on the floor. 

"No dad, just regular – it's not _all_ about sex, you know," The kid blushed lightly, but the words fell easily from his lips. 

"I know, I'm sorry," He said soothingly, "Could you deal me in? I'd like to just… Talk with you guys for a bit, if that's all right." 

Without a word, Shino and Choji both moved so he could sit in between them, while Shikamaru dealt him a hand. The man studied his cards for a moment before he spoke. 

"You know… I haven't been totally fair to you guys." 

"We understand," Shino said, picking two cards out of his hand, "It is a difficult concept to grasp," He took the cards Shikamaru dealt him, placing them in his hand. 

"It's not that… I talked to Kakashi today, he… Helped me see things in a different perspective." 

"What do you mean?" Shikamaru asked him, raising the bet. 

As Choji studied his cards, Shikaku struggled for a moment before replying. 

"We got talking about his relationship with Iruka, he asked if I had a problem with it when he mentioned them having sex." 

Choji matched Shikamaru's bet, "Do you?" 

"I don't," The man put one card on the floor, taking the one his son dealt him before continuing, "I _do_ , however, have some problems with the mental picture that accompanies those words." 

He put in his own chips, looking over at Shino, who's turn was next.  
The kid had an _incredible_ poker face. 

"You mean two guys together," Shikamaru cut in, dealing Shino his cards. 

"No, actually… It's them being Kakashi and Iruka… And that got me thinking…" 

He watched as Shino upped the bet again.  
 _Kid seems confident…_

"Got you thinking about _what_ , dad?" 

"That it's not so much your _relationship_ as the simple fact that my son's in it. Sorry, but that's just how it is." 

Shikamaru didn't raise, and neither did Choji. The Akimichi had a look on his face that clearly indicated that he was already defeated. 

"So you simply have a problem with us because we like to kiss your son?" 

The Aburame's unsettling habit of saying things point blank like that wasn't something Shikaku was used from _any_ teenager – most adults didn't even talk like that. 

"No," A small smile tucked at his lips as he glanced at his cards, carefully picking up a stack of poker chips, "I find I'm having trouble realizing you all are growing up." 

"We have been doing exactly that since the day we were born," Shino upped the bet again, daring them to go all in with him. 

Since it was just a friendly game, with no actual money or commodities at stake, they all pushed their chips in. 

"I realize that, Shino. But when you're changing a baby's diaper, you're not exactly considering that baby to take someone else's dick up his ass someday," Shikaku managed to keep a straight face, inwardly amused by his latest shock tactic. 

It didn't really go as planned though. Sure, Choji sported a light blush, but they all remained eerily calm upon his revealing statement. He watched his son smirk. 

"Yeah, growing up you don't really consider what your folks did in order for you to be born in the first place, either." 

Shikaku smiled, both at his son's words and his cards; Queen, Jack, Ten, Nine, Eight.  
"A straight, not too bad…" 

"I know you beat me dad, drop the act…" 

"Well, you beat _me,_ Hotstuff." 

The pet name fell easily off his lips, Choji didn't even notice he'd just called Shikamaru 'Hotstuff' in front of his father. Shikaku decided to ignore it, they had a right to after all. And it's not like it sounded _too_ dirty… 

"A pair of Jacks, Sweetcheeks? _Really?_ " Shikamaru looked at Choji, then accidentally caught his father's amused look, "What? I – Oh…" 

"It's okay, I think I actually like the sound of that one…" He smirked. 

This time, they blushed. Except Shino, but he never seemed to change his facial expression anyway, so Shikaku acknowledged defeat on that one. He smiled again, putting his own cards down, "Full House, three Aces, two Kings," He winked, "That would be you guys." 

"And the Kings?" There was a small smile in Shino's voice, though it didn't appear on his face. 

"Kakashi and Iruka," Shikaku proclaimed, earning himself three smiling faces. 

"You still do _not_ , however, win this game," Shino calmly laid out his cards, "Why? Because I poses a Royal Flush." 

And so he did; Ace, King, Queen, Jack, Ten. 

Shikaku chuckled, "Remind me never to play for money with mister pokerface here…" 

"Aw, Se – Uh… Shino's not so bad…" Shikamaru blushed, shooting his boyfriend an apologetic look, before glancing over at his father, clearly hoping the elder Nara hadn't noticed his little slip. 

To Shikaku, this seemed like his clue to leave; so he got up, dusted off his pants and turned to the door, "Thanks for the game and the talk, guys. I'll just leave the three of you alone so you can call each other whatever the hell you want. I'm sure you've got a whole arsenal that I don't want to hear… By the way," Opening the door, he turned back to the three on the floor, "I presume you're staying over tonight?" 

Shikamaru started to gather up the cards, "Yeah… We were kinda planning on that…" 

"Do I need to let your folks know?" 

Shino didn't look up as he spoke, busying his hands with picking up the poker chips, "I have already informed my parents of my whereabouts for this evening." 

The elder Nara nodded, "Choji?" 

"I… Kinda forgot… I'm sure they know, though…" 

"I'll sent them a message anyway. We don't want another situation like… Anyway, breakfast at seven, don't make me have to wake you up." 

After the man had left, Shino dropped the poker chips back in their bag, "You were about to call me 'Sexy' in front of your father, Shikamaru…" 

"Yeah… Slip of the tongue," He shrugged, moving closer, "It's only because you _are_. So. Fucking. _Sexy_ ," Placing his lips on Shino's he pulled his boyfriend closer, settling himself on the Aburame's lap. 

Shino whimpered softly, "Baby… I _– Ah_!" 

The Nara smirked, he'd slipped one hand down between their bodies, grabbing a firm hold of the other's erection, "Don't fucking complain, right now. I want you so bad…" 

Behind him, Choji smirked as well, touching himself through his pants. 

The sight proved too much for the Aburame, and he lightly bit down on Shikamaru's shoulder, "I don't want it to be gentle, right now," He whispered softly, earning an approving nod from the boy on his lap. 

"You want me to fuck you hard, Sexy?" 

Another bite on his shoulder, accompanied by a small nod. 

Shikamaru leaned back a little, taking a moment to examine his lover, "Are you embarrassed to ask?" 

"A little… I am unsure as to your thoughts on the subject…" Shino blushed, but looked him straight in the eyes. 

Shikamaru deliberately kept his tone even and soft, recognizing the situation was hard on his lover, "Tell me what you want, Shino. We can see if it can work together." 

He watched as the Kekaichu-handler bit his lip, glancing over at Choji in obvious discomfort. 

The Akimichi realized it too, looking Shino in the eyes, a sincere look on his face, "Hun, you know _I_ won't. I found my line back there in the forest. But I'm not against it if it's something you two want," He spoke softly, yet clear. 

A low moan escaped Shino's throat, his voice raspy as he whispered something in Shikamaru's ear.  
Choji, recognizing the privacy of the moment between them, continued cleaning up the poker supplies. 

As Shino moaned, Shikamaru almost joined in; the sound filling his entire being for a brief moment. As the Aburame leaned in to whisper in his ear, he whimpered softly; the contact between their erections still a new sensation to him. But as his lover whispered in his ear, in that raspy, hoarse and above all, _sexy_ voice, his eyes widened, and his cheeks burned. 

"I want you to tie me up. Take me. Hurt me. I want to still be feeling you inside me in two days. I need to feel the pain right now, Loverboy _. I need it to hurt._ " 

There was a hint of desperation in his voice, and Shikamaru could feel himself stiffen slightly at the tone. But when Shino buried his face in the crook of the Nara's neck, he could feel himself relax again. Could feel himself get excited about it. 

"Trust me, Precious. It will." 


	38. I need it to hurt

AUTHORS NOTE: I realize that this might not be everyone's cup of tea, but… Well, I'm not even gonna try to explain my reasons, as for me, it's perfectly clear. Just not possible to catch into words.

##########...##########

 **I need it to hurt**

##########...##########

 _Wednesday, ten-thirty PM, Shikamaru's bedroom,_

Shino moaned against the gag in his mouth – not that he minded the gag, it made everything even better. The reason the Aburame moaned was more _physical_ as his lover spanked him across his ass. 

Somehow, Shikamaru had understood what his boyfriend wanted – no _needed_ right now, without so much as another word. Shino's whispered plea had been enough. 

##########...##########

Choji winced as Shikamaru's hand made contact with Shino's bare ass again, the mere thought of the pain it must've caused made the Akimichi shiver. He was leaning against the wall, out of view from his lovers, as he'd known before this even started that he would not be able to hide his discomfort at the way Shikamaru had promised to handle Shino. 

He averted his eyes, swallowing. 

##########...##########

Shikamaru was aware of his boyfriend's discomfort, but, he'd also made a promise to his _other_ boyfriend, and Choji had agreed to this as well. The Akimichi was free to leave the room at any time, although Shikamaru honestly did not believe he would. 

Not only because of his parents' questioning looks, but more so because he _wanted_ to be here. Maybe Choji was a little uneasy, but somehow the Nara knew that his lover wanted to see this, to know what _exactly_ Shino had asked for. Even if it made him wince in sympathy. 

His hand bore down on naked flesh again, his teeth sinking into his lover's shoulder. Shino whimpered, pulling at the ropes tying him down. 

"Stay still," His voice was strict, though he could not bring himself to sound as harsh as he knew Shino would like right now. 

The paler boy immediately stopped moving, only gasping when Shikamaru's hand connected to hot flesh again. By now, the once pale backside of the Aburame had turned red from all the times he'd slapped him before. 

Shikamaru swallowed when he saw the damage he'd caused already. He realized Shino needed this, even understood why, to a degree, and he was more than willing to grant the Aburame his wish. Getting excited by the mere thought. But now, it seemed, he could go no further. Not now. 

Biting down on his lover's shoulder again, his hand searched for the lube in the drawer of his nightstand, he'd made it clear before they started that he would not go without.  
Shino had readily agreed, softly telling him that he would not want Shikamaru to step beyond his own boundaries. 

Still, the Nara hesitated a moment before opening the cap. He wasn't entirely sure if he still thought this necessary, and the boy writhing under him had already made it clear he wanted this to hurt as much as possible. But no. Shikamaru couldn't. Not that. Slapping Shino, biting him, tying him down and gagging him, that much, he didn't really have a problem with. 

Entering him without first relaxing his entrance, that much he could do, too. But he needed the lube as much for his psychical comfort as he needed it for his psychological comfort.  
Suddenly, for a brief moment, he couldn't stand the thought of hurting Shino any more. 

##########...##########

Choji swallowed hard as Shikamaru reached for the lube. He really could not understand why Shino would willingly undergo this treatment, nor could he figure out why Shikamaru seemed to have no problem in going along with it. 

##########...##########

Shino could feel Shikamaru push against his entrance, without a word, the other pushed in. He gasped, wincing in pain, but at the same time, he felt better because of it. Cleansed. 

The pain was necessary, for him at least. 

##########...##########

As he pushed in, Shikamaru moaned. His lover's tight opening seemed to swallow him whole, and for a moment, all else was forgotten. 

Not thinking about comfort or discomfort, about pain or the internal numbness that had called it forth, he simply pushed in. Without a second thought, without caring about the body below him.  
Not wanting to wait another second, already knowing he had his lover's permission, he pulled back out again until only his head remained inside the Aburame, roughly pushing back in. 

He could hear Shino bite back a scream, letting out a soft whimper instead, and again he pulled back, pushing back in even harder this time. His pace quickened, his force increased and Shikamaru felt as if this had been what he was missing. This was what he'd _wanted_ to do, and every time he'd felt that urge, he'd opted to sit back and watch his boyfriends make out or fuck. Afraid to hurt them. 

But he wasn't afraid anymore, Shino was quivering under him, biting back moan after moan, loving this as much as he was. For now, Choji was forgotten as Shikamaru pounded into Shino.  
Releasing all his pent up emotions in one, simple action.

##########...##########

Choji quietly watched as Shikamaru pounded into Shino, harder, much harder than he could ever even imagine doing himself. That time in the forest was extremely soft compared to this, and yet, that had been at the far limit of the Akimichi's comfort zone. 

There were tears in his eyes as he looked on, the pain his boyfriend must be enduring right now too much to even comprehend for the gentle boy. Clenching his hands to fists and biting his lip, he remained silent. Even though, in his head, he was screaming. Begging them to stop this. To stop hurting each other. Didn't they care about each other anymore? Didn't they _love_ each other anymore?  
He winced in sympathy as Shino whimpered, swallowing hard. 

_What is wrong with them? Why are they doing this? Shikamaru… You're_ _ **hurting**_ _him, please,_ _ **please**_ _stop this! Please… This isn't right, this isn't normal, you shouldn't hurt each other. Please…  
_

As Shikamaru pulled out, Choji swallowed hard. Trying to push back the tears that were about to fall down his cheeks. Because, any minute now, Shikamaru would look at him. He didn't want his boyfriend to see the emotions spread so openly across his face. The horror, the shame and the pain that the situation he had just witnessed had called forth. 

But Shikamaru didn't look at him, instead leaning over Shino once more. Both of them were panting, something Choji was secretly thankful for as the sound drowned out his own ragged breaths. He was all but crying, but his boyfriends couldn't know that. He'd said he was okay with this, after all. But he had gotten so much more than what he'd bargained for… 

Shikamaru whispered something in Shino's ear, and the paler boy nodded, replying in the same, soft whisper. Choji didn't care. He didn't want to know what they were talking about. Didn't want to know _anything_ else about this. 

As Shikamaru started to untie his lover, Choji averted his gaze, not wanting to see the rope burns that were undoubtedly there. Swallowing again, he kept his eyes fixed at his own feet. 

"Buttercup, are you alright?" Shino's voice was throaty, but his tone soft. Making it almost impossible not to cry. 

He could only nod, not trusting his voice to speak. It would be awful if either of his boyfriends noticed the tears that were once again welling up in his eyes. 

"Pumpkin," Shikamaru walked over to him, resting a hand on his shoulder, "Please talk to me…" 

He swallowed again, "I'm fine, Shikamaru," He spoke as soft as he could, hoping the tears wouldn't be audible, "I just… I need some water, is all," Turning on his heels, he left the room. 

##########...##########

 _Wednesday, eleven-forty-five PM, Nara residence,_

 _It's wrong what they just did. Wrong. They shouldn't be hurting each other. Why would Shino ask for something like that? Why would Shikamaru_ _ **do**_ _something like that? Why? I don't understand. They should never ever hurt each other. Never. You don't hurt the people you love. Why can't they understand that? Why don't they see that this is bad?  
_

"Choji? Is something wrong?" 

A quick hand wiped at his teary eyes before he lifted his gaze up to Shikaku's chest. Looking the man in the eyes would be giving everything away right now. And Choji felt too ashamed of what his boyfriends had just done. Of how _wrong_ that was. 

"No, nothing's wrong, Shikaku. I'm just thirsty is all…" He walked away, heading for the kitchen. 

But the older man followed him, "Choji… If something is bothering you…" 

"No! Nothing's bothering me!" He whispered furiously, hoping that the man would just leave him alone. He needed to work through this, and there was no way, no _freaking_ way, he could _ever_ tell Shikaku what had just gone on in his son's bedroom. 

Grabbing a glass, he filled it with water. Tipping it back before filling the glass up again.  
 _Please just go away now, please just go… I can't tell you what's wrong, because it's very,_ _ **very**_ _wrong and I know that you would get angry. It's_ _ **so**_ _wrong… I don't think you could ever understand, Shikaku. Please just leave me alone, now. Please. I need to work this out myself, I need to find a way to deal with this… Leave me alone, Shikaku…  
_

##########...##########

Shikaku sighed silently. He'd heard the tell-tale sounds coming from his son's bedroom, had realized what was going on.  
 _So Choji watched that, huh? That's not good… Obviously the kid doesn't understand, obviously he can't deal with this… I wonder if it was Shikamaru or Shino… Which one of you needed the pain, my boys? And do you understand where that came from?  
Either way, you should never again do that with Choji in the room… You should grasp that by now. If you still don't… I'd hate to do it, but I will remove him from the situation myself if this ever happens again. You two've hurt the boy, and this may even be beyond repair.  
We're shinobi, we live a hard life. This is a coping method, I realize that just fine, but I will never allow you to force Choji to go through it twice…  
_

"Well, I'm off to bed, good night Choji." 

He didn't wait for a reply, but simply left. 

Choji sighed as the man left the kitchen. 

_Okay… Shikaku is gone… Now what? I don't want to go back there, I don't want to face them after what they just did… But I love them, doesn't that count for something? Yes, it does. Just not for me having to face them after… It's wrong, I know it is… I'll just… Stay here for a while…_

##########...########## _  
_

_Wednesday, twelve-fifty AM, Nara kitchen,  
_

_What –_ Choji blinked, _I must've fallen asleep here… Wait, why_ _ **am**_ _I here? Oh… Right…  
_

He swallowed, wiping away the tears that had streaked his face. Sitting up, he wondered if maybe the other two had fallen asleep already, he really didn't want to have to face them right now. But he was tired as well, and sleeping at the kitchen table was a very bad idea. Forget a good night's rest, tomorrow morning, Yoshino would find him here and get all worked up about it. 

_No, I'll just have to go back… Hope they're asleep.  
_

Still, he dragged his feet, opening the door ever so slightly to peek inside first. The room was dark, the two bodies on the bed didn't move. They were asleep, so Choji silently walked in. Laying down next to Shino, he winced once more when he noticed the bite marks on the pale skin. 

_I don't want to think about it anymore… Let's just try to get some sleep…_


	39. Time to depart

AUTHORS NOTE: Why is it so much fun to toy around with Kakashi? xD  
This might have a bit of a filler feel to it, at least the second part… I dunno, I felt like writing it, so… :P Let me know if I get too _fillerish_ , okay?

##########...##########

 **Time to depart**

##########...##########

 _Thursday, six-forty-five AM, Iruka's apartment,  
_

As far as Kakashi was concerned, he was in heaven. Laying on his back in Iruka's comfortable bed, the younger man laying on top of him, their tongues slowly dancing in a languid kiss. Every time Iruka moved to get up, he pulled him back. _No-one_ was allowed to disturb him in heaven, least of all the guy that _was_ heaven. Heaven, where there were no clothes, no masks, no obligations other than to please Iruka Umino. Heaven where there had _absolutely not just been a_ _ **knock on the damned door**_ _!_

But there had been, undeniably so, because Iruka jolted up. And even with all of his training and all of his strength there was no stopping his boyfriend as the younger man slipped out of bed, pulled on his pants and went to check the door.  
Kakashi sighed, dropping an arm over his eyes. Whoever that was, they better have damn good reason for interrupting them. 

"Gai, _hey!_ You can't –" But the older man brushed past him, long strides taking him into the apartment where Kakashi lay naked. Iruka almost chuckled, the whole clothes thing always seemed to be such a big deal between those two – this was _sure_ to be entertaining... 

As Gai appeared in the doorway, practically foaming at the mouth, he quickly threw the blanket over his lower body, "Gai?! What the _hell?!_ " 

But it seemed like the taijutsu master hadn't heard him, hadn't noticed his nakedness, " _Kakashi-Fucking-Hatake! Do you even have a_ _ **shred**_ _of your sense of responsibility_ _ **left**_ _?! How_ _ **dare**_ _you still be in bed at this hour!"_ Furiously, he grabbed the blanket. 

Iruka stifled his chuckles as Kakashi, wide-eyed and _obviously_ frightened, grabbed the blanked with both hands, "Gai! Did you even _look_ at the damned _clock?!_ " 

"Did _you_?!" Again, he pulled at the blanked, beyond enraged as his friend once again held it in place, "Did you _not_ hear Shikaku _specifically_ state, _just last night_ , that we _had_ to depart _before sunrise?!_ " 

Kakashi blinked, dropping himself back on the bed, groaning, "Oh _god,_ the stupid _mission_ …" 

Gai growled, "Yes Kakashi, the _mission!"_ He yanked the blanket away, turning in horror as he finally, accidentally, uncovered his friend's naked frame, " _Damnit_ Kakashi!" _  
_

Despite the situation apparently being so serious, Iruka laughed out loud. The look on Gai's face was _priceless!_ The spandex-clad jounin glared at him, his tone dangerously soft as he asked him what was so funny. But Iruka didn't notice Gai's tone, the warning was completely lost on the laughing man, "You-your _face!_ You should – _Hahaha_ – you should see your _face_ right now, oh _god_ , haha _hahahaha_!" 

Gai froze for a few seconds, but then made his way over to the chuunin, harshly grabbing the younger man's shoulder, squeezing much tighter than he ever would if he wasn't so damned _angry,_ "Iruka! This is _not_ the time for _jokes!_ We were supposed to depart _an hour ago!_ From _him_ I should expect such antics, but _you?_ " 

Completely sobered up by both the pain and the older man's words, Iruka calmed down, "I'm sorry Gai, I honestly didn't know…" 

"Yeah… I kinda forgot to mention that…" Scratching the back of his head, Kakashi sat up. His lower half was once again covered by the blanket, and he made absolutely no attempt to change anything about that. Iruka frowned. 

"Then hurry up _now_ , Kakashi…" 

"Yeah… Uh, not like this," He swallowed, looking at Gai. The other man seemed to feel his eye on his back, turning around with a scowl on his face. 

"Get _up_ , Kakashi! If we leave now, we _might_ be able to make up for lost time!" 

"Yeah, eh, Gai… I'm naked here…" 

The taijutsu master blurted out about half a dozen curses before walking over to the silver-haired man once again, yanking the blanket away. Without looking down, he grabbed the slighter man by the neck, dragging him over to the bathroom, simply throwing him inside. He turned on his heels, walking over to the dresser and opening the second drawer, he quickly pulled together a uniform, throwing it after the copy nin. Then, opening the lowest drawer, he picked out a towel, throwing that too, "You have five minutes!" He sat down on the cushions surrounding Iruka's low table, arms crossed, a frown on his brow. 

Iruka chuckled softly, "Eh, Gai?" 

"What?!" 

"Eh… Would you please not throw my boyfriend around like that?" An amused smile on his face, Iruka sat down across from the man. 

The frown lifted somewhat, "He can take it." 

"Oh, I know. But my bathroom can't," He chuckled again, somehow this whole situation wasn't even _half_ as embarrassing as it could be. Actually, it was mostly funny. 

The arms were uncrossed, placed in his lap – almost in a relaxed way, "I will pay for any damages done, Iruka," A small smile appeared. 

Iruka gave an exaggerated nod, "Good to know. Now, eh… You don't happen to have a jutsu that can make me un-see what just transpired here, right? Because I think I might get nightmares about my boyfriend's _very_ straight best friend dragging his naked body around by the neck…" 

Gai blinked. His mouth twitched. Then he chuckled lightly, "I am sorry, Iruka. I do not." 

"I see… Too bad." 

"Indeed. If I did, I could un-see that naked body of his…" He chuckled again, finally looking at the younger man. 

"Aww, why would you _want_ to? He looks pretty damn good if you ask me…" He smiled innocently. 

Gai shuddered, then chuckled, "Maybe to _you_ he does, but I prefer my partners with boobs and _without_ any equipment similar to my own." 

Iruka leaned back on his hands, still with that innocent smile on his face, "Don't say you don't like it until you've tried it, that's what my mother always used to tell me anyway." 

"Iruka…" He whispered in a conspiring tone, "I think she might have been talking about _food_ …" 

The brunette beamed, Gai had walked _right_ into the trap, "Best breakfast _ever_." 

Gai choked on a cough, exasperation on his face as he looked up at the younger man, "Iruka… Please tell me you did _not_ just say that…" 

But the chuunin just beamed at him, a wide grin on his face. Of course, Kakashi just _had_ to choose _this_ moment to open the door of the bathroom, his face quickly washed, his clothes thrown on. He was just pulling up his mask as he stepped out, flabbergasted as Gai assaulted him once more. 

" _You!"_ Pointing at Iruka, the jounin rose to his feet, "Where the _hell_ did you pick up _that_ one?!" 

"Uh, Gai…? Early morning getting to you? That's Iruka, picked _him_ up at the freaking chuunin exams almost ten years ago…" 

"Teach him some bloody _manners_ will you?!" 

"Eh… He's not one of my dogs, Gai…" He looked over at his boyfriend, expecting the younger man to be enraged by now, but Iruka was laughing, almost toppling over, "Love… What did you do to him?" He coaxed, suddenly sure that he was looking at the instigator of all of this. 

The brunette was laughing so hard he could hardly breathe, but he managed to squeeze _one_ word out, _"Breakfast!"_

"Eh?" 

But Gai quickly enlightened the confused copy ninja, finally starting to see the joke himself, he almost chuckled, "You are, apparently…" 

"Uh… _Right_ …" Kakashi blinked, "Babe, correct me if I'm wrong, but… Weren't _you_ the one that got all upset about him knowing _anything_ about our sex life just _yesterday_?" 

Iruka attempted to straighten his face, "That was _before_ I realized just how damn _straight_ the guy is," Another chuckle shook him, and within moments, Iruka was laughing loudly once again. 

Gai blushed a little, looking over at Kakashi helplessly. The silver-haired man felt a little sorry for his friend – even _if_ that friend had just dragged him around the apartment in his birthday suit, "Gai, meet my boyfriend, Iruka Umino, one of the dirtiest minds you'll _ever_ come across, hidden away behind a cute face and a well-behaved demeanor…" 

Gai stared at the laughing chuunin in disbelief, his voice a mere whisper, "No way…" 

"Yes way. Now, didn't we have somewhere to be?" 

Gai blinked a couple times, trying to clear his head, "Yes, I have already collected the documents, so we can leave right now." 

But Kakashi softly shook his head, "Not _right_ now, Gai…" Walking over to his boyfriend, he crouched, "Love? Can I get a kiss before I go?" 

Iruka nodded, taking a deep breath to suppress further chuckles. Softly pulling down the mask, he placed his lips against Kakashi's. Almost chuckling _again_ when out of the corner of his eye, he saw Gai turn away, the man's face bright-red. The brunette couldn't resist; wrapping his arms around Kakashi's shoulders, he leaned back until he fell over, his boyfriend laying on top of him. Kakashi moaned softly, and Iruka shifted just a little, drawing another low moan from the silver-haired man. He could hear Gai shuffle a little uncomfortably, and had to suppress yet another chuckle. Intending to find the outer edge of the taijustsu master's comfort zone, he let one hand wander down, traveling to Kakashi's ass. But it seemed that the older man had finally caught on to his plan, and a pale hand wrapped around his wrist, halting his progress. Using his other hand, the copy ninja pushed himself up a little, a smirk on his face, "Iruka… That's a low blow…" 

Panting, Iruka chuckled, "So?" 

"Tsch, are you _done_ yet, Iruka?" Gai sounded more embarrassed than annoyed, but still, 'annoyed' was _definitely_ a proper description of the man's voice. 

"Hmmm, not really, actually… What I'd _like_ to do is pull down his pants and –" 

" _Iruka!"_

" _Babe!"_

He just chuckled again, cheeks a little pink. Sighing, Kakashi pushed himself off the floor, "Love, please don't…" 

Frowning, Gai turned back, half-expecting the chuunin's hands to be working on Kakashi's zipper. But Iruka just lay there, chuckling lightly.  
 _Cute little chuunin… I didn't even know just_ _ **how**_ _true that name was…  
_ But his voice was strict, "We have to go, Kakashi. Is your bag ready?" 

"Packed last night, Gai," Pretending not to see the younger man's beaming smile, pretending that this whole embarrassing display – from the moment Gai came in up till now – had never happened, Kakashi picked up his backpack. As he followed his friend out, he threw one last look over his shoulder, "Bye Love, I'll be back as soon as I can." 

Iruka just watched him go, his smile had gone sad, his body limp. He feared for Kakashi's safety now that he knew just how often his lover had looked death in the eyes just this past year.

##########...##########

 _Thursday, twelve-forty PM, Academy playground,  
_

"Hey, Iruka-sensei!" 

The brunette turned around, a soft smile on his face as he saw the three teenagers weave their way through the playing children, coming up to him. 

"Hello," He leaned against the swing set, forcing his body to relax. 

But Shikamaru seemed to catch on, a light frown on his face, "What's wrong?" 

The sensei sighed softly, looking over at the playing children, his voice quiet so no-one would accidentally overhear their conversation, "Kakashi left this morning…" 

"Yeah, dad told us about it," His tone matched Iruka's, eyes briefly glancing around to check if there wasn't anyone within earshot. There wasn't, Iruka had already checked. 

"It's no big deal, I guess. But I'm always worried, especially the first day. And every day that he's late it gets worse." 

"I can imagine," Shino didn't look at him, his gaze instead resting on a small girl crouching over a ladybug. 

"Yeah… Actually, something _really_ funny happened this morning as well," There was a chuckle in Iruka's voice, and all three looked up at him. Shino only briefly though, as his eyes soon returned to the little girl and the ladybug. She'd picked it up now, letting the little critter walk over her hands, constantly moving them around in order to persuade the lady bug to stay a little longer and not fly off yet. 

"Kakashi forgot to mention that he was supposed to leave before sunrise, so Gai came to pick him up…" Iruka briefly wondered how much to tell them, but he kind of felt like he had to tell _someone_ , and these three were the only ones that could both understand _and_ not get Kakashi angry with him for telling them. He felt comfortable around them as well after all. 

"So?" Choji looked surprised, "Everyone knows that Kakashi-sensei's _always_ late…" 

"He is not when it matters, Buttercup." 

"Still…" 

Iruka chuckled, "Did I say he forgot to _mention_? I believe I should have said he _forgot_ – we were still in bed, Choji. Butt-naked," He flashed a naughty grin as he saw that the boys started to catch on, "So, I hear a knock on the door, right? Put on some pants, go to see who's there… Gai just pushes past and marches _right_ inside. Where Kakashi is. _Naked._ And he kicks the blankets _off_ the bed, remember?" 

"Oh god!" Shikamaru doubled over laughing, as did Choji. Shino only chuckled, still studying the girl with the ladybug. _  
_

"Right, ' _oh god'._ Those two _may_ be best friends, but they get _incredibly_ awkward when faced with a lack of clothing on the other guy's body…" 

"Gai-sensei wears skin-tight spandex though…" Shino sounded thoughtful, a slight frown appearing on his face as the little girl attempted to keep the ladybug with her by catching it in the hollow between her hands. 

"I know right? Not much to see…" Iruka winked at him as Shino flashed him a surprised look, "Anyway, Kakashi managed to pull the blanked over him _just_ in time. But after some yelling at Gai's part, the guy tries to pull that thing away – I thought I was gonna _die_ ," He chuckled again, the two teens whose faces he could see biting their lip to stay quiet, "Kakashi holds on, and I _swear_ I've never seen him so terrified in my _life_!" 

Shino snorted, "I would have liked to see that…" 

"Oh I _bet_ you would have, _especially_ seeing what happened _after_ … Although… I think I might be happy you _didn't_ …" He flashed another naughty grin, "Gai's pretty impatient, wouldn't you agree? So he jerks that thing off of him –" 

"Iruka-sensei!" Shikamaru sounded exasperated, eyes wide as he stared at his former sensei. Iruka, in turn, replayed his own words in his head. 

"The _blanket,_ Shikamaru, the _blanket_!" Chuckling again, he continued, "Catches sight of, eh… Well, I got him pretty worked up earlier…" He winked again. Shino turned back to him now, a soft smile on his face as he did; The girl had let the ladybug go. 

"Oh god…" Shikamaru was already wiping away tears of laughter, but Iruka wasn't done yet. Explaining how Kakashi had ended up in the bathroom caused the boys to laugh so hard several people stared at them – mostly at Shino – but Iruka paid it no mind. For the moment, no-one approached and he wanted to finish the story before the bell rang. So he quickly motioned for them to calm down before relaying – word for word – the conversation he'd had with Gai while Kakashi was getting dressed. 

Shikamaru laughed again, Choji stared, and Shino smirked, "It is." 

Iruka agreed with him, going on to explain what had happened after – making sure to be _descriptive_. It seemed that this time, there was _no_ calming the boys down again. And as he'd hoped, it lifted Iruka's own spirits considerably. As the bell rang, he bid them a quick goodbye, but was stopped by Shikamaru's voice, suddenly sounding calm again, "You okay, Iruka-sensei?" 

He nodded, smiling once more, "Yeah, Shikamaru. You guys really cheered me up." 

Turning, he could just make out Choji's protest, " _You're_ the one with the funny stories, Iruka-sensei!" He just waved at them, returning to his duties.

 __##########...##########

 _Thursday, five-ten PM, Outside Iruka's apartment,  
_

As the sensei started up the stairs to his apartment, he was surprised by an unexpected sight; Shino, Shikamaru and Choji were calmly sitting on the stairs, chatting a little as they – obviously – waited for him. 

"Hey guys. I didn't expect to see you here," He smiled at them, briefly wondering if there was something up, or if they were here to check up on him. As Shikamaru smirked at him he decided it was most likely the latter. 

"Afternoon, Iruka-sensei. We were just bored, really…" 

"Uhuh…" _Riiiight…._ "Wanna come in?" 

"Sure!" Choji smiled happily, dusting off his pants as he rose to his feet. Iruka suppressed a chuckle, it was really sweet of them to come see him – even if it was unnecessary. Walking in, he told them to make themselves comfortable, before asking if they wanted something to drink. Shino and Shikamaru quickly agreed, but Choji seemed to hesitate for a moment. 

"You don't _have_ to you know…" Iruka smiled at him. 

"No… It's just…" He pulled a face, all but hiding behind Shikamaru. 

The Nara smirked, "This morning, the guy suddenly exclaimed that he was getting 'sick and tired' of tea… My mother was a little less than pleased…" 

Iruka chuckled before motioning for the boys to follow him into the kitchen. It was a small room, and four people – one _Akimichi,_ those guys always seemed to take up _way_ more space than you expected – quickly made it feel cramped. But he gestured toward the fridge, "See if there's something else you'd like, I'm still getting tea," He winked, reaching for the kettle. 

"Me too, please," Shino bowed his head in thanks as Iruka nodded, excusing himself right after. The kitchen felt a little less cramped now. 

"Eh, Iruka-sensei…?" 

"What's up, Shikamaru?" He didn't look up, instead filling the kettle. 

"Shouldn't you be getting tired of ramen by now?" 

Iruka chuckled again, he was kind of happy they'd showed up here after all, "I'll _never_ get tired of ramen, Shikamaru, _trust_ me." 

"Right… Don't take this the wrong way, Iruka-sensei, but… You're kinda weird…" 

This made the older man laugh, but he didn't respond, instead lighting the fire underneath the kettle.  
Choji, gingerly picked a bottle of grape juice out of the fridge, looking over at his old sensei to see if that was okay, so Iruka nodded, reaching up to grab the glasses, "You want the same, or are you still pondering over my leftovers?" 

"More like wondering how you didn't croak yet… Where's the vegetables? " He looked up, a shocked expression on his face. Iruka burst out laughing. 

When he caught his breath again, Shino was standing in the doorway – Choji had apparently brought him up to speed, as the boy was chuckling. Iruka softly shook his head, "Hey, I already have to take that crap from my boyfriend, don't you dare start too!" But he smiled, pouring Choji's grape juice into a large glass. The boy seemed to be really looking forward to it for some reason, so he'd chosen the biggest glass he could find. 

"But Iruka-sensei, I seem to recall you scolding Naruto for the exact same thing more than once," Shino _really_ wasn't half as stoic as people seemed to believe, his expression clearly amused, "And you scolded Buttercup on a daily basis for eating snacks instead of a proper lunch. You preached to Ino and Sakura about the dangers of dieting, you reproached Kiba for eating almost nothing but meat, you –" 

"I _get_ it, Shino!" He chuckled again, "Need I remind you that you were only _children_ back then? Grown-up are allowed to eat whatever the hell they want, except when they happen to be dining close to Lady Tsunade's wandering eyes, or dating Kakashi Hatake…" 

"Which again raises the question why there are no vegetables in your fridge…" 

"Shino… There's pumpkin soup in there somewhere, happy now?" 

" _Awww!_ " Shikamaru threw an arm around Choji, "He's gonna _eat_ you!" 

Exasperated, Iruka stared at the duo, before realizing that 'Pumpkin' was what Shikamaru called Choji. Chuckling again, he pointed at the fridge, "Just get something to drink, Shikamaru… I'm _so_ not eating your boyfriend…" Rolling his eyes, he turned his attention to the boiling water. Beside him, Shikamaru pulled out a bottle of apple juice, pouring it in the glass he'd set out before putting the bottle back in the fridge again. He grabbed the glasses and all three boys left the kitchen. Iruka sighed softly, they were fun to be around for sure, but also just a _little_ exhausting… 

Walking into room with two cups of tea and some snacks on a tray, Iruka smiled. Those three _really_ cared about their positions relative to each other. Shino thanked him for the tea, Choji for the snacks. Smiling, he sat down across from them, cocking his head as Shino seemed to be staring at him, "Shino? What's wrong? You're not still thinking I'm about to crack or something are you?" 

"I am not. However, I _am_ wondering how those boxers made it to the curtain rail…" 

Turning quickly, Iruka could feel his cheeks burn, "Eh… Those are his…" He quickly got up, plucking the offending piece of clothing from the rail and walking over to the bathroom to dump them in the hamper. Upon his return, he found the three teenagers chuckling again, "What? It happens…" 

"Uhuh… 'Cause it's totally normal for a pair of boxers to fly off on their own and land all the way across the room on a rail that's almost pressed against the ceiling…" Shikamaru smirked. 

Ignoring his pink cheeks, Iruka sat down, "No… It's totally normal to _send_ a pair of boxers flying across the room because you're boyfriend's apparently _still_ wearing them after you've told him to take everything off al whole ten seconds ago…" 

"Wow… Kakashi's _fast_ …" 

"Careful boy, you don't know who you're messing with," He winked at the Nara. 

"Nah, you're right, you used to be so boring you lulled me asleep just by walking into the classroom…" 

"Yeah about that… What changed? You seem wide awake _now_ …" Iruka chuckled again, watching the boy wink. 

"I'm just a pervert, so when you talk about boxers flying through the room my eyes fly open…" 

"Getting a head start on Kakashi, are we?" 

"Nah, I'm pretty sure he was _born_ that way. Probably Chidori'd his ass out, jounin rank, sharingan and all." 

Iruka bit his lip to keep from laughing, "Remind me to relay that to him when he gets back, we'll see if that Chidori of his is all its hyped up to be." 

"You threatening me with your _boyfriend_ , Iruka-sensei…?" He feigned disbelief, eyes unbelievably wide as he stared at the man sitting across from him. 

"Maybe…" 

"Ah, but Loverboy has already proven to be more than a match for Kakashi-sensei when it comes to strategic thinking. Also, he has the shadow manipulation jutsu, therefore Kakashi-sensei's Chidori would be canceled out." 

"I dunno Shino… I'm no jounin, remember? Besides, as Choji pointed out before, I'm a strategy type, Kakashi's a battle type. I'd probably be done for…" A cheeky smile appeared on the Nara's face, "I _could_ of course use Pumpkin here as a shield… Supplement Iruka-sensei's supply of pumpkin soup…" 

"Hey!" Choji didn't seem too pleased with the idea, and Iruka felt a little sorry for the boy. 

"Shikamaru, that's just mean. You shouldn't tease him like that…" 

Bowing his head like they'd learned in school, he matched the exact tone and expression those kids always seemed to perfect within mere days, "Yes Iruka-sensei, I'm sorry Iruka-sensei, I won't do it again Iruka-sensei," Extending his hand to Choji, they shook on it, "Will you please forgive me, Choji?" 

"Yes Shikamaru, I will," His posture was the perfect example of how he _should_ look right now – if this had been a playground squabble, that was. 

"Friends again, Choji?" 

"Friends again, Shikamaru." 

Iruka sighed, "Nice show, guys… I was being _serious_ here…" 

The Akimichi grinned up at him, "I have thicker skin than _that,_ Iruka-sensei. Have to, with _these_ two…" He pulled a face, sticking out his tongue at both his boyfriends. 

Iruka chuckled, relaxing once more.  
 _So they've become_ _ **that**_ _comfortable around each other in such a short time, eh?  
_

Suddenly, Shino chuckled. Earning him surprised look all around, "Precious? What're you thinking about _now_?" 

His mouth twitched a little as he tried to contain his laughter, "Night before last…" 

"Oh _god!_ " Shikamaru leaned back on his hands, " _Shino!_ " 

"What?" Iruka questioned, earning him the story of how the Nara household had sounded with moans, pants and cries from two different bedrooms at the same time. As the story progressed, his eyes widened, his cheeks became gradually redder and he bit his lip to keep from laughing out loud. 

"Loverboy totally drowned her out, though…" 

"Yeah, we won," Shikamaru beamed, " _Totally_ won." 

"You know, the strange thing is… I do not believe I ever heard Shikaku…" 

"Don't look at me, I fell asleep long before that…" 

Iruka blinked, "Wait, what? _How_ …?" 

"I was tired, so what?" 

Iruka found himself staring at the Akimichi, this was _unbelievable_ … "Okay… That's… Quite the achievement, I guess…" 

"I am still more surprised about not hearing Shikaku though…" 

"Sexy! That's my _dad!_ I _so_ do not want to know if he… You _know_ …" 

"Got off or not?" Choji chuckled, apparently Iruka wasn't the only one enjoying the look on Shikamaru's face right now… 

"I wouldn't know, Choji," He winked, "It'd be a shame for him if he didn't, though…" 

" _Iruka-sensei!_ " The Nara shivered, "That's… He's my _dad!_ " 

"He embarrasses you all the time, does he not? This might very well be your change to get back at him, Loverboy…" 

"Ugh, no thank you…" Shikamaru shivered, "Change of subject, anyone?" 

Iruka chuckled, "How about dinner?" _  
_


	40. Three minus one

AUTHORS NOTE: What's this? A three clans update? Oh, _my_ , yes it is!  
I'm sorry I poofed there, guys. I really am. I wasn't feeling too good (still aren't to be totally honest) and I couldn't get myself to write for this fic. And seeing as I had no more finished chapters, I had to go on a little hiatus. Honestly, it's still a little hard to write this, so the next update may very well take a little while as well, I really am _so_ sorry. I'll try my best not to leave you hanging too long, reviews help with that, they truly do. Lately my love for 3 clans has been an on again off again sort of affair, because I got little or sometimes no feedback, while I got plenty on my other stories. Making me want to continue _those_ rather than writing something that no-one seems to be waiting for. But enough with the pity-party. Here's the next update, hope you'll enjoy!

##########...##########

 **Three minus one**

##########...##########

 _Monday, nine-thirty AM, Shino's bedroom  
_

It was Monday, and Shino Aburame was getting ready to depart. 

"But weren't we supposed to have two full weeks off?" Choji whined. 

Shino sighed, "The specific skill set of my team is required for this mission, Buttercup. There is nothing I, nor anyone else can do about that." 

"Pumpkin," Shikamaru was leaning against the wall, throwing an annoyed look at the Akimichi on the bed, "Don't slow him down any more. The faster Sexy can pack, the more time we might still have before he has to report to the gate, okay?" 

Choji nodded solemnly, moving to get out of Shino's way. The paler boy hurried to pack his bag, but was still working carefully so he wouldn't end up forgetting something important. A few minutes later, he stood, facing his boyfriends, "I am done." 

"What time do you have to report to the gate?" Shikamaru tried not to look at Choji, as the plump boy was sobbing quietly and he didn't want to cry as well. This was the first time they'd be apart since they got together after all. Secretly, Shikamaru wished that _he_ had been the one to leave on the first mission – he would have a distraction while dealing with the absence of his two lovers. But they needed Shino back in the field, that much was certain. Last night, Kurenai-sensei _herself_ had knocked on Choji's door, trying to track down Shino. She'd quickly explained the situation, telling the three that Konoha needed their tracker-team to depart ASAP. She'd also managed to extend the deadline a little, so they would have one more night together. 

"I need to be at the gate at ten o'clock." 

Shikamaru sighed as all three of them glanced up at the clock, "That doesn't give us much time, then…" 

"No, ten minutes at most," Shino swallowed thickly, "I love you. I love you both so much. I do not wish to leave, but I have no choice in the matter and we all knew this day would come, did we not?" This last part was directed at Choji, who was now crying almost desperately as he clung to the Aburame. 

"N-not so s-soon!" He hugged Shino tight, making the other boy wince slightly. But Choji didn't notice. 

Shikamaru sighed softly, he'd never realized _Choji_ of all people could prove to be such a handful. But then again, he _was_ the most emotional out of the three of them. Walking over, he gave Shino a loving kiss on the lips, "Just come home, Shino. That's all I want, for you to be safe," He swallowed against his own tears, his hand gently stroking the side of his lover's face. 

"I will. I would not want to disappoint you," A little half-smirk appeared on the Aburame's face and he gently pried the crying boy off of him, "Buttercup, it is not a dangerous mission, and most likely it will not be long. I will be back as soon as I can. Please get yourself together." 

"But… Tracking missions always take longer than regular ones, right?" He wiped his eyes with his sleeve, trying to get his tears under control as he took a small step back. 

Shino sighed, "They do. However, we have reason to believe that this one will not. Kurenai-sensei explained the details with both of you present, Buttercup. You should _know_ this." 

"Yeah…" He swallowed, "You have to go, and I took up all the time we had…" He looked at Shikamaru apologetically, but the Nara just smiled. 

"It's okay, Pumpkin. We can walk you to the gate, right?" 

"You can," He nodded as he picked up his bag, "I would very much appreciate it." 

##########...##########

 _Monday, nine-fifty-five AM, At the gate,  
_

"Sh-Shino!" Hinata smiled softly, fiddling with her fingers a little nervously as she noticed the other two boys, "Sh-Shikamaru, Choji, hello…" 

"Hello Hinata, Kiba, Kurenai-sensei," Shino nodded at them before turning to his boyfriends one last time. Tears had been dried, and all three of them looked to be doing just fine, albeit a little sad, "I will see you both when I get back." 

Shikamaru watched as Shino gave Choji a chase kiss on his lips, before turning to him. The Aburame whispered, making sure not even Choji would hear him, "Take care of him, Loverboy. He's going to need you," He then placed another chaste kiss, this time on Shikamaru's lips. The Nara nodded, moving to stand just a little closer to Choji. As Shino turned to his teammates, a single, quiet sob shook the Akimichi and Shikamaru wrapped his arm around his boyfriend. Swallowing thickly as they watched team eight depart. 

##########...##########

 _Monday, ten-eleven AM, Road out of Konoha,_

"So… Shino, did you say a proper goodbye to your boyfriends before we left?"

"Kiba…" 

But the Inuzuka was grinning wickedly, making quite a display of sniffing the Kekaichu-handler to demonstrate how he'd come to his conclusion.

"Kiba, stop it," Kurenai sighed, this might become a problem… "What your teammate does in his personal time, is none of your concern." 

"It is alright, sensei." The Aburame suddenly cut in, "Yes, Kiba. I bode them a _very_ fond farewell. Thank you for taking an interest in my personal life." 

Inwardly, Kurenai chuckled.  
 _Wow, he's really come so far. The relationship itself may be unconventional, but those two have really helped Shino grow in his personal confidence, haven't they? Before, he would have never been able to tell Kiba off like that. He would have had some sort of retort, but nothing like_ _ **this.**_ _  
_

Beside her, Hinata giggled quietly. The banter between her two teammate's seemed to continue for now, and the Hyuga was pleased to see that Shino held his own. Kurenai smiled softly, finally they got to see Shino relax a little bit. 

"Shikamaru _so_ tops your little bug-ass, doesn't he, Shino?" A mischievous grin on his face, Kiba elbowed the other boy in the ribs. 

"Actually…" Shino sounded thoughtful, "There is no 'top' in our relationship. It is quite different from your flings, Kiba. I do not let myself get bossed around the way you seem to enjoy." 

"What?!" Bright-red, he stuttered, "I-I d-do _not_ – Kurenai-sensei!" Looking back at his sensei, the Inuzuka seemed to beg for her to step in, to tell Shino he'd crossed the line. 

But she just shrugged, "Shino _does_ have a solid point there, Kiba." 

Hinata chuckled lightly, "Shikamaru and Choji would never treat him like your girlfriends always treat you, Kiba…" 

Blinking, Shino turned his body around as well, all the while continuing to walk like the others did too, "Hinata, did you not stutter just now?" 

"I-I think not?" 

He smiled at her, "You have come a long way, Hinata. I am proud of you." 

"Tha-thank you, Shino," She bowed her head in thanks, but then her head shot back up, eyes wide as Kiba voiced all of their thoughts out loud. 

"Shino! You just _smiled!_ Like, for real, _smiled!_ " 

"I did. Is that so surprising?" 

Kurenai chuckled again, "It kind of is, Shino. _We're_ not used to it, at least." 

He turned back to the road ahead, speaking quietly, but just barely loud enough to make out, "My boyfriends are." 

##########...##########

 _Monday, ten-fifteen AM, At the gate,  
_

"Pumpkin, don't you think we should get going now?" There was a little amusement in the Nara's voice, Choji seemed inclined to wait right here for Shino's return. 

"Yeah… But I don't want to…" He didn't move from his spot, staring out through the gate that Shino had disappeared through almost fifteen minutes ago. Shikamaru sighed. 

"You know, Choji," Kotetsu came up to them, leaving his station at the guard booth for a minute, "He's going to be fine. Kurenai's there too. And Kiba and Hinata aren't bad either." 

The Akimichi frowned, "Shino can take care of _himself_." 

"I know, I was just trying to calm you down a little… You're _shaking_ , buddy." 

Shikamaru bit his lip, tightening his hold on his lover a little more, "We'll be fine, Kotetsu." 

"I'm sure you will," He gave the two an easy smile, "But it's hard when someone you love has to go out. I know," He shrugged, "So I guess I just wanted to comfort the two of you a little…" 

"Didn't know you were dating anyone?" The Nara looked quizzical. 

Kotetsu pointed his thumb behind him, where Izumo still sat in the guard booth, "I'm not. But that guy's my best friend, my brother and my lifeline all wrapped up in one little package. We're always together, but every now and then…. One has to leave without the other. Because one of us is actually sick, or because it's a special skill-set – in which case I usually get left behind. I know it's though, boys, but it's what you've signed up for when you accepted that hitai'ite." 

"I _know_ that!" Choji snapped at the man, "I _know_ that it's all part of being a shinobi! You don't have to get all condescending, you know?!" 

"Whoah," Putting his hands up a little, Kotetsu took a small step back, "I'm not. I'm not trying to patronize you or anything, _really_." 

"He's just saying he gets it, is all," Izumo had joined them now too, there was no-one approaching the gate anyway, "We _both_ do. Every shinobi in the village does. You're just a little new to the feeling, so we're trying to be here for you. That's all." _  
_

Choji seemed to deflate, mumbling an apology. Izumo gave him a soft smile, "It's okay, like I said, we know how it feels. Best thing to do actually is just find a distraction." 

"Yeah," Kotetsu added, "And at least you two are still here, so you can hang out together." 

"And Shino's all alone, that what you're trying to say?" A small frown appeared on the Nara's face. 

"No… And he's not. I mean, he _is_ , but he's also got a mission to distract him, and his team," Izumo explained. 

"I get it," Shikamaru sighed, "I always kind of thought that I'd be the first to leave, you know? I dunno know _why_ , but…" 

Kotetsu chuckled, "We all do. All the time. It's natural." 

"I didn't… " 

"Neither did I, Choji," Izumo rummaged through his pockets for a little while, "Guess the camp's split evenly down the middle, there's a lot of guys who're thinking more about their loved ones leaving than leaving themselves. Here," He pulled something out, a little card. Handing it to the Akimichi, he explained, "It's the address to a teahouse in the village. Owners are former shinobi. They always have time for the ones who got left here when their partners or loved ones are headed out. Usually a free slice of cake too," He winked. 

"Ah, we have to get back to work, buddy," Kotetsu pointed his thumb at the guard booth, "Looks like Aoba's team's returned," He gave the two boys a nod before walking off. 

Izumo gave them a quick smile before following his best friend, turning back once more to call over his shoulder, "Just go check it out, guys. And if you want, I'll let you know the moment he's back." 

Shikamaru nodded, "Thanks!" Before pulling his boyfriend along, they'd spent more than enough time here already. 

##########...##########

 _Monday, ten-fifty AM, Konoha streets,_

"So… You wanna go check out that teahouse, Pumpkin?" 

"I dunno, do you?" 

Shikamaru shrugged, "Not particularly…" 

"Me neither… Can we just… I dunno, go cloud-watching or something? It's been a while…" 

"Yeah… Let's do that." _  
_


	41. The best way to deal with loneliness

AUTHORS NOTE: I've been getting a lot of reviews here lately, so I figured I'd do my best to give you guys an update. I'm not sure if this is actually good enough, but I tried my best.  
Oh and yes, there is a hidden recipe in here, three actually. Just because they sounded pretty darn good to me, and… I dunno, maybe you wanna make it, maybe you don't, I just kind of felt like following Iruka's actions all the way through ;) 

Thank you, Foxxery; toolazytosignin; Thasdf and Vicky for believing in me ;) You know, it's all thanks to amazing people like yourselves that I manage to keep on writing. You know what? Take a minute to pat yourself on the back. Go on, I'll wait…

…

…  
Done? Good. You _deserve_ it. Great work. Now, shall we hope that _my_ work is up to par as well?

##########...##########

 **Company – The best way to deal with loneliness**

##########...##########

 _Monday, five-thirty PM, Konoha Rooftops,  
_

"I thought I'd find you two here," Iruka's voice held a warm tone, a soft smile on his face as he regarded the two teens. 

Choji shot up, but Shikamaru seemed to have fallen asleep. The Akimichi was pale, his eyes puffy from crying, "Iruka-sensei!" 

His smile widened a little, and Iruka waved, "Hey. I thought I'd come see if you guys were interested in having dinner with me? It's a little lonely without Kakashi around, and I figured you'd feel the same way…" He trailed off a little, worrying the inside of his lip. 

"Yeah… I mean, we still have each other, I guess. But…" Choji poked his boyfriend in the ribs, but the Nara didn't stir, "He fell asleep hours ago…" _  
_

Iruka chuckled lightly, "Well, Shikamaru _is_ sort of known for falling asleep whenever he wants to," He walked over, leaning over the young Nara with his hands on his hips. The light tone dissipated from his voice and the sensei shone through, "Shikamaru Nara! Up and at it!" 

Startled, dark eyes flew open and Shikamaru shot up, accidentally bumping his head against the older man's chin, " _Ouch!_ Iruka-sensei…!" 

Iruka took a few steps back, rubbing his chin as he pulled a little face, his tone a little thoughtful, "You never used to do _that_ …" 

Chuckling, Choji checked both his boyfriend's forehead and Iruka's chin, coming to the conclusion that while the latter would probably be sporting an interesting bruise in a little while, the Nara's hard head had saved him from such embarrassment. Iruka pulled another face at the news, "Okay, now you _owe_ me, Shikamaru." 

"For what? You scared the crap out of me Iruka-sensei! It's not fair–" 

"So you're coming over for dinner, no buts," The brunette interrupted the younger man, "I don't feel like eating alone today and Kakashi is still out. So, you're coming with me." 

"Oh…" He smirked, "Sure, but… We should go tell our parents real quick first…" 

"Don't worry about it. I saw Choji's mother at the market earlier, that's how I heard that Shino's out. Anyway, I kind of already told her you'd be eating at my place. She said she'd inform Yoshino as well, so we're good, right?" He smiled at them, silently hoping that he hadn't crossed the line by going behind the boys' backs like that. But the man really _was_ getting a little lonely; Kakashi'd been away for four days by now. And even though the Shino-Shika-Cho trio had come by on both Thursday and Friday, they'd apparently gotten a little preoccupied over the weekend. Just when he'd had absolutely _nothing_ to do but worry about Kakashi. Even though he knew that was pointless, and Kakashi was most likely doing just fine. Not that the sensei blamed the teens for not coming by, but he reckoned that now they could keep _each other_ sane. Eh, _company._ He swallowed.  
 _If I don't get some real company soon, I might just lose my mind… I honestly never realized just how often my boyfriend gets into danger. But now I do, and I can't even sleep anymore. He's out there somewhere, just him and Gai. I know that those two are among the strongest shinobi, not only in this village but possibly in the world, but still… What if something happens? What if I lose him? What if –  
_

"Iruka-sensei?" Choji placed a hesitant hand on the man's shoulder, waiting for Iruka to look at him before continuing in the same soft tone, "You were staring off into space, and you looked like you were getting really upset…" 

He sighed softly, "I was, Choji. I was… Thanks," He offered the boy a quaky smile, slightly unsettled as neither Choji nor Shikamaru seemed to be buying into his 'I'm okay now' act. The Nara studied his face, and Iruka realized there was no way this boy _didn't_ realize the horrors that ran through his mind. Swallowing, he turned around, "Let's just go, alright? I don't really want to talk about it if you don't mind…" 

##########...##########

 _Monday, five-forty-five PM, A road somewhere in the Land of Fire,_

"So how long before we get to that village, Kurenai-sensei?" Kiba folded his hands behind his head as he turned his body slightly to look at the woman walking just behind him. 

"If we keep up the pace a little, about two days." 

"A-and then the real mission b-begins, right, K-Kurenai-sensei?" _  
_

The raven-haired woman smiled warmly, "Yes, Hinata. At least we have an idea of the direction they took, and the man who contracted us also has a scent sample, apparently. So we shouldn't be looking for _too_ long." 

Shino had remained silent throughout the length of the conversation, as he had ever since lunch. He didn't reply now either, but he quickened his pace just barely. The leisurely pace that Kiba had chosen didn't suit the Aburame today. The sooner they got to the village and spoke with the man who contracted them, the sooner they would find and retrieve the men they were searching for. And the sooner he would be home with Shikamaru and Choji once more. 

Kurenai smiled softly, picking up the pace as well. She realized why the young man wanted to hurry and she couldn't blame him: Every shinobi had felt like this at some point in their lives. Next to her, Hinata also quickened her steps, a small smile on the girl's face as she looked at her teammate. Even Kiba didn't complain, and he and Akamaru quickly fell in step beside Shino once more. 

Kurenai's smile turned wistful.  
 _Let's just hope that everything goes as smoothly as Lady Hokage seemed to think it would. I want to get you home to your boyfriends too, Shino. And get back to Asuma myself.  
_

##########...##########

 _Monday, five-forty PM, Konoha Streets,  
_

"Anything in particular you feel like eating today?" 

Choji tried to catch his breath, the sensei's long strides proved a little hard to keep up with. He was more used to Shikamaru's lazy pace, something Shino too, had adjusted to very quickly, "Maybe… I don't really care _what,_ but…" Not sure how to explain, the Akimichi fell quiet, worrying the inside of his lip. 

Shikamaru chuckled softly, "You mean anything that's got a good strong flavor, right Pumpkin?" 

"Huh?" Iruka paused for a moment, looking a little guilty as Choji leaned against his boyfriend, panting. He resigned himself to slowing down his pace a little but also to wait until the boy had caught his breath again before resuming their journey, "Oh wait… Shino doesn't like strong flavors, right?" 

"Yeah," The Nara smirked but still looked a little sad, "Bout the only upside to him not being around right now…" 

"I get it," He smiled, "The first thing I do when Kakashi's out is get ramen," He winked, "With _out_ all the pesky vegetables. And pudding, he _hates_ pudding…" Iruka chuckled lightly, "So how would Unagi Don with some miso glazed eggplant and a seaweed salad sound? I need to get rid of the eggplants," He winked at them. 

Choji smiled wide, "Sounds great, Iruka-sensei!" 

Shikamaru quickly agreed, and Iruka explained that it _would_ mean he'd have to get some eel for the Unagi Don, then. They agreed to meet up at the sensei's apartment, because Iruka had realized by now that it'd be much faster to get the groceries alone.  
 _Besides, with how slow these two usually walk, I might even be home before they even get there…  
_

##########...##########

 _Monday, six PM, Outside Iruka's apartment,  
_

"It's really nice of Iruka-sensei to invite us over for dinner, isn't it?" Choji sat down on the stairs leading up to the apartment with a bright smile on his face. 

"Yeah, although the guy clearly wasn't lying when he said he was getting lonely himself," Shikamaru walked up for a minute, knocking on the door to see if the sensei'd returned already. When the door didn't open, he walked back to his boyfriend, sitting down next to him. 

"Yeah… Kakashi-sensei and Iruka-sensei are always together aren't they?" 

"We're always together too, Pumpkin. Well, until…" He swallowed, trying not to think about Shino's absence. 

"Yeah…" Choji too, fell quiet. Feeling a little sad. 

This was how Iruka found them. Sitting on the stairs, both clearly lost in their own thoughts, both on the verge of tears. He sighed quietly. Forcing his tone to sound light and cheery as he greeted them and lead them to the door of his apartment. There was a bounce in the older man's step, even if he didn't exactly feel cheerful at all. 

Toeing off his sandals, he held up the plastic bag he carried, "I got some soda as well, and grape juice," He smiled at Choji – the boy seemed to get happy again at the mere _mention_ of the stuff.  
 _Odd… But whatever. At least it's an easy way to make the kid smile again, apparently.  
_

Shrugging slightly, Iruka turned into the kitchen, quickly followed by the two boys. He grabbed a couple of glasses from the cabinet over the sink and placed them on the counter before handing the bag to Shikamaru, "You two just figure out what you want to drink, okay? I'm going to get started on dinner," Grabbing the required bowls and pans, he calmly waited for the two boys to fill up the glasses and leave the kitchen. 

Only they didn't. Shikamaru'd emptied out the plastic bag, sticking everything besides the bag of sugar into the fridge. The sugar, he placed on the counter, clearly not sure where it belonged. In the meantime, Choji'd filled both their glasses. They each grabbed one and moved back, but not out of the kitchen. Iruka suppressed a chuckle.  
 _Okay… So they obviously don't want to be alone… This might get a little tricky though, the kitchen is small and I usually don't pay much attention to my surroundings when I'm cooking. I turn quickly, walk without looking… Kakashi is used to it, he's fast enough to avoid collisions and if he's too tired for that, he'll lean against the doorframe. These two… They're neither fast enough nor do they know me well enough to anticipate my movements…  
_

Standing very still for a few seconds, Iruka worried the inside of his lip before coming to a conclusion, "Hey, guys?" His tone was soft, his expression warm as he turned to the teenagers, "Not that I mind you being here, but it can get a little dangerous when I'm cooking…" Two pairs of perplexed eyes stared at him, and Iruka chuckled, "I tend to move around a lot, and I don't usually check to see where I'm going. So I'd be grateful if you could just stay by the door, alright?" 

Nodding, they moved back a little, leaning against the opposite sides of the inside of the doorframe. Iruka smiled at them before getting started on the miso. Mixing a premade miso, some of the sugar and mirin in a bowl before putting it aside and preheating the oven. Then he retrieved both the rice and the eggplants from the cabinet in the back of the kitchen. Putting the rice on before cutting the eggplants in halves. He set them aside for a minute, turning to grab the sauce pan for the Unagi sauce. He smiled briefly at the two teens, just to let them know he wasn't ignoring them. Choji watched his work with interest, while Shikamaru was lazily gazing out the window. Iruka almost chuckled, pouring the mirin and sake into the sauce pan and waiting for the alcohol to evaporate. 

In the meantime, he soaked the dried seaweed for the salad in another bowl. Checking back on the sauce pan, he added sugar and started stirring. The sugar would need to be completely dissolved before starting the next step. When the mixture was ready, he added the soy sauce, leaving the sauce pan to start boiling as he quickly placed the eggplant halves in the oven for a couple of minutes, flesh side down so the skin would soften a little. Turning to stir the rice, he shot the two boys another glance. By now it was clear to them why he'd asked them to stand back a little; Iruka in the kitchen was like a whirlwind, or so Kakashi always said. 

He took the sauce pan away from the stove, setting it on the windowsill to cool down a little faster. He quickly drained the seaweed, squeezing the last of the liquid out before wiping the bowl clean and returning the seaweed to the bowl. Then, he grabbed the eggplants from the oven, peeking at the rice as he did so. Everything seemed to be in order, so Iruka just turned off the oven, leaving it open to cool down. Then turned to open the window since the kitchen was getting plenty hot for his taste. Shedding his flack vest and shirt, he handed both to Shikamaru with the request to throw them on the bed. As the Nara turned, he smiled at Choji. The boy was still following the entire process with interest, probably trying to memorize the recipe if he knew Choji even half as well as he thought he did. 

As the oven cooled down again, he glazed the eggplants with the miso-mixture before placing the eel fillets in the oven. It was still a little warm, but Iruka decided it didn't really matter that much. The oven should _technically_ not be preheated, but he was feeling a little chaotic today, so he just hoped he wouldn't mess up _too_ bad. The fillets would need about seven minutes, so he grabbed a glass and filled it with the ever-present apple juice before calmly leaning back against the counter for a little while. 

"Wow… You weren't kidding about being dangerous when you're cooking…" The Nara's tone was filled with wonder, and Iruka chuckled. 

"Sorry, can't help it. I've always been like that." 

"It's kinda cool to watch, you know," Smirking, Shikamaru moved to refill both their glasses, shooting a questioning look at the sensei, "I can be here right now, right?" 

"Few minutes, then I get to work again," He winked. 

As Shikamaru filled the glasses, they all stayed quiet. Iruka sipped his juice, thinking.  
 _Still a little strange how comforting their presence is. They're just kids, they used to be my_ _ **students**_ _. Still, I'd much rather have the two, or better yet the three of them here than any of my other friends right now. I know I get oddly emotional when Kakashi's gone, but it's not like I'm the only one, right? I know for a fact that there's a lot more partners that get a little sad when they're left behind. Even know a few that get down-right depressed. But somehow, when_ _ **I**_ _get a little down, I'm overreacting. These guys don't see it that way. Maybe it's because I'm pining over Kakashi, over another guy… I don't know, sounds stupid to me. But it seems like such is the case after all… But these three don't judge that, they can just relate to missing a partner – no matter said partner's sex.  
_

"Iruka-sensei…?" 

"Hmm? Yes, Choji?" 

"It's been about six minutes by now…" 

"Oh, right!" He quickly shook his head, trying to clear his head as he sat his glass down on the counter. Checking on the fillets, Iruka smiled, "Just in time, Choji. They're perfect." 

The rice was done by now, so he turned the heat down, just keeping it warm for the time being. Popping the eggplants back in the oven, Iruka laid the fillets aside for now, whipping up the dressing for the salad by mixing rice vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, salt and ginger juice and whisking it for a little while. He added this to the seaweed, together with sesame seeds, thoroughly mixing the salad before placing it in the fridge for now. Iruka checked the clock. Time for the last touches. 

He grabbed three bowls and a large plate, scooping the rice in the bowls before setting them aside again. He moved quickly now, taking the sauce pan out from the windowsill and glazing the fillets. He placed them in the oven, sliding the rack in above the eggplants. Ladling some of the unagi sauce over the rice as he waited, "Almost done boys, 'bout… Well, _now_ ," He chuckled, taking both the fillets and the eggplants out of the oven. The eggplants went on the plate, "Choji, take this, Shikamaru, you grab the salad, please," As the two boys quickly complied, Iruka placed the fillets on top of the rice bowls, adding the last of the sauce as well before picking up the bowls and following the two to the table, "Darn… I forgot the chopsticks, right back." 

They watched him turn and smiled at each other. Iruka-sensei seemed to be in utter chaos today, even if he did his best to hide that fact. Choji busied himself with placing the food a little more within reach, while Shikamaru hesitated. 

"What's wrong?" There was concern in Iruka's voice as he returned from the kitchen. 

"Eh…" The young Nara looked a little sheepish, and Choji seemed to want to pretend he wasn't there at all. Iruka blinked. Then he got it. 

"You're used to the way you sit when there's three of you, aren't you?" He asked softly. Watching both boys nod, his own loneliness returned full force. But the sensei forced a smile, "Try not to think about it too much. I know it sounds a little silly, but it's really the only way to deal with it…" Sitting down himself, he watched the two shuffle a little before finally sinking down on the pillows. Iruka sighed quietly.  
 _I highly doubt they're ever going to get used to it. Not Choji, at least. He's a lot like me when you start to think about it, actually. Too emotionally involved for his own good. He's going to get hurt because of that. I know he will, but there's absolutely nothing I nor anyone else can do to stop it. We can only be there for him, I suppose.  
_

"This is delicious!" 

He smiled a little at Choji's excitement.  
 _At least it's easy to distract him…  
_

Shikamaru was a little calmer, but he too, praised the food. Iruka blushed a little, "Thanks, it's not hard to do, though. You saw…" 

"Yeah but," He quickly took another bite, "This is still amazing, Iruka-sensei. And last time, didn't you say that Kakashi's actually supposed to be even _better_?" 

Iruka chuckled, he could see where Shikamaru was going with this, "I did. He is. _If_ you actually get him to put some work in, that is. I could always ask him for you, though. When they're both back?" 

"That would be _awesome,_ Iruka-sensei! Right, Choji?" But the Akimichi only hummed something, too preoccupied with the food. 

Iruka chuckled, "Is it always like that?" 

"Pretty much…" Shikamaru shrugged, "It's okay though, that's Pumpkin, you know? He gets all obsessed when there's food involved…" 

" _Not_ obsessed," Choji countered between bites, "Just happy. Deal with it." 

Shikamaru just smiled at him, "So… Iruka-sensei? It'd be totally cool, you know. Seeing what Kakashi's cooking is like, I mean." 

"Yeah, sure. I'll ask," He smiled, "No worries. But preferably _after_ he's been home for about a day or two – _not_ including possible hospital stays, okay? And not on Sunday's if at all possible…" He added thoughtfully. 

"Okay, the first one I get. But what's wrong with Sunday?" 

"Nothing, Shikamaru. It's just…" Iruka pulled a little face, "We always kind of try to keep the Sundays to ourselves. I'm busy Monday through Friday, and we've quickly learned that apparently people always seem to need Kakashi on Saturday, so…" 

"I get it… Now I feel even worse for bothering you guys last week, though…" 

"Nah, it's fine. We – well, _Kakashi_ already figured we could probably kiss that weekend goodbye the second you three walked into the Lounge… No worries. We can handle it, you know," He winked. 

"Iruka-sensei?" Choji suddenly looked up, and Iruka guessed at the problem, seeing the Akimichi's empty bowl. 

"There's more rice if you want." 

"Yeah, in a bit. It's just that… You seem to say 'no worries' all the time, suddenly. And I don't remember you ever saying it before…" He cocked his head and his boyfriend looked quizzical as well. 

"Ah… I guess it's the classic 'my boyfriend's rubbing off on me' thing… Kakashi says it a lot. And over the past year, I must've heard it a thousand times," He chuckled, "Funny how you never notice things like that yourself." 

"I guess… Anyone else want more?" Choji asked before moving to get up. But the others both declined, so he only took his own bowl with him to the kitchen. As the boy disappeared, Shikamaru suddenly leaned over, whispering. 

"I had to promise Shino something, but I'm starting to think I could _really_ use your help on this…" He pulled a little face, looking anxious. 

But Iruka only smiled, whispering back, "I'll help you look after him, Shikamaru. No worries. I probably understand what's going on inside his head better than even you do – we're having the exact same reaction…" 

"Reaction to what?" Choji looked a little hurt, "Why are you whispering?" 

Looking up at the young Akimichi, Iruka figured he might as well explain, "We weren't trying to hide anything, Choji. Shikamaru's just a little concerned about you right now and I get that. You and me? We seem to react the same way to our boyfriend leaving… You stood at the gate for almost twenty minutes after he left, didn't you? Izumo told me. I used to do the same thing. Until I realized I was pretty much making a fool out of myself, that is. But Izumo and Kotetsu… They really _do_ get it. Better than most. And they'll never make fun of you for something like that. And neither will I," A thought occurred to the man, "Did he give you guys the address to that little teashop?" 

"Yeah…" Sitting back down, Choji frowned a little, "We didn't really feel like going though…" 

"Nah, neither did I at first. But you know, the thing is…" Leaning back on his hands, the sensei almost chuckled but managed to hide his amusement for the time being, "Izumo and Kotetsu know this too, although they would never say it out loud, as requested. But… The two guys running that teahouse? They're old teammates, Kei and Shuji, they're in a relationship." _  
_


	42. The world of Iruka Umino

AUTHORS NOTE: How awesome… I got a review asking if I still update this the same day I started writing this chapter – timing, man! Thank you, unnamed guest ^.^ 

Then, of course, I got stuck again, so it was still like, what? Months? Before I finally finished it... hehe... Sorry! Also, this is…. Short. Just because I wanted to end on that line. I kept going back to it and thinking the chapter was too short, but… I really wanted it to end right there. :P I'll try to make the next chapter a lil longer than this one, kay?

##########...##########

 **The world of Iruka Umino**

##########...##########

 _Monday, seven-fifteen PM, Iruka's apartment,  
_

_For a few moments, Iruka was simply stared at. Chuckling lightly, he shook his head before taking his last bite and pushing the bowl away from him, "I'm serious, though. They kinda don't really want to tell people, not unlike Kakashi and me at first. I think you can see why, right? So when Izumo figured it out, Kei asked him to keep quiet about it. First time I got there – I was dragged in by Izumo on one side and Kotetsu on the other – Kotetsu immediately told Kei that I was in need of some cake because my boyfriend was on a mission. And that's how I know about those two as well. I guess they figured that since_ _I_ _have a boyfriend, it's okay if I know. And I'm applying the same logic to you guys. If you want, I can come with you. Even though it's not really my kind of place…" Worrying the inside of his lip, Iruka studied the young faces before him.  
_

_"Why not?" Leaning back on his hands, Shikamaru regarded the sensei with a curious look, "Free cake. What's not to love?"  
_

_Chuckling, Iruka rested his chin in his hands, "You know the stereotype 'gay guy'?"  
_

_"What? The pansies? They're like_ _that_ _? How come no-one knows they're together then?"  
_

_"No, no… They're_ _not_ _like that… More like the exact opposite. They will do just about anything to cheer you up, yes –_ _if_ _cheering you up requires a lot of noise and overly excited cheering. I kind of prefer peace and quiet myself. Went there twice, both times I came home with a headache that lasted for about another day or so…"_ _  
_

"In that case, I think I prefer just having dinner with you, Iruka-sensei…" Choji's voice was small, and the boy didn't look up. 

"I like this a lot too, Choji," Smiling warmly at the Akimichi, Iruka suppressed a sigh.  
 _Even though I would prefer just having Kakashi back in one piece… Oh, and Shino too of course.  
_

"Say… Iruka-sensei?" Biting his lip, Shikamaru stared at the table for a few seconds before continuing, "Think… Think we could like… Maybe make this a regular thing? You know… Keeping each other company when one of us is out? Like, whether that be Kakashi or one of us?" 

He felt his smile widen, "I would love that, Shikamaru. Really. If one of us is away, doesn't matter which one, if the total number drops below the five, we'll check in with each other. Maybe have dinner together, or just chat. I really like that idea." 

"Me too," Smiling happily, Choji finally looked up, "But first, I'll help you with the dishes, Iruka-sensei." 

##########...##########

 _Monday, ten-thirty PM, somewhere deep in the outlands,  
_

_Groaning, he turned on his other side. Annoyed with himself for something stupid as not being able to sleep. Gai's tone was soft as he called out to him, "Are you still unable to sleep, my friend?"  
_

_"Yeah…" Sitting up, he threw the blanket off, "I don't get it. I know Iruka's safe, I know there's nothing to worry about. And I still do," Frowning, the copy ninja stared down at his hands, "Gai… Do you think this means that I'm wrong and he's actually in trouble?"  
_

_"I doubt it. It is more likely that you just miss him."  
_

_"Not like we've never been apart before, you know…" Pulling a face, he felt his shoulders slump.  
_

_"We will just hurry back tomorrow. That is all we can do, my friend. In the meantime… Please try to get some sleep. I don't believe I have seen you sleep since we left home…"  
_

##########...##########

 _Monday, eleven-ten, Iruka's apartment,  
_

_"No,_ _really_ _?" Blinking, he stared at the two boys on the other side of the table, "He actually_ _told_ _you?!" There was a slightly disapproving tone in the sensei's voice and he frowned a little at the two boys sitting across from him.  
_

_"Well, you know…" Shikamaru shrugged, "We kinda pushed him into it…"  
_

_Iruka sighed, "Alright… Which ones did he tell you?"  
_

_Looking at his boyfriend for a moment, Choji chuckled quietly, "He said he calls you 'Tease'…"  
_

_Shikamaru chuckled, "Amongst other things."  
_

_Groaning, Iruka let his head drop in his hands, feeling his cheeks burn, "How come I just_ _know_ _that's not the only one he told you guys?"  
_

_Beaming at the older man, Shikamaru calmly counted on his fingers, "Babe, Love, Tease, Blowgod and… What was the other one again?" Thoughtfully tapping his chin, he pretended to have forgotten.  
_

_More than a little embarrassed, Iruka peeked through his fingers, suspiciously eying the teenagers before him. As he watched, they gave each other an amused look before Choji suddenly exclaimed, "_ _Tightness!_ _Kakashi-sensei said he also calls you Tightness!"  
_

_The look of horror on Iruka's face drove the two into a fit of laughter, and the sensei swallowed hard, whispering quietly, "That's just… That's not_ _fair_ _…"  
_

_"He also said the others were_ _totally_ _out, though…" Shikamaru smirked, "Care to share?"  
_

_"No! No way!_ _Hell_ _no!" Wildly shaking his head, he raised his hands in a defensive gesture, "I can do without embarrassing myself even_ _further,_ _Shikamaru!"  
_

_"Okay, then tell us what you call_ _him_ _. Kakashi only said you call him an embarrassed teenager…"  
_

_"Yeah," Choji straightened his back, "What's_ _that_ _all about?"  
_

_Chuckling a little embarrassedly, Iruka shook his head, "He'll kill me if I ever tell anyone… But you know… There are_ _other_ _ways to get even… Hmm, let's see… I call him Sweetheart and Sweetie… But you already knew_ _that_ _much… Sexvoice you heard too… I call him Candy Cock, would that satisfy your curiosity?"  
_

_Shikamaru blinked, "Candy Cock…?"  
_

_"Well, you know..." Iruka looked away for a moment, cheeks burning, "Where did you think 'Blowgod' came from?"  
_

_"Say… Iruka-sensei…" Worrying the inside of his lip, Shikamaru stared down at the table, his fingers absent-mindedly toying around with his glass, "You… Eh… You like doing that for him, don't you?"  
_

_The sensei raised one eyebrow, "What? Sucking him off? Hell_ _yeah_ _. Why d'you ask, Shikamaru?"  
_

_"Cuz… Well, you know… I kinda…" Swallowing, he let his voice trail off, unsure how to continue.  
_

_Iruka's tone was soft, "You don't know if you'd like it, you mean?"  
_

_"Nah… I just… I_ _did_ _it, not like I don't know what I'm talkin' 'bout here…" Frowning the Nara muttered under his breath, "_ _Troublesome…"_ _  
_

_"Ah…" Leaning back on his hands, he winked, "So you just_ _don't_ _like it. Nothing wrong with that, you know. It's not like you_ _have_ _to…"_

_Looking away uncomfortably, Shikamaru remained silent. Choji sighed softly, looking at his boyfriend with a concerned look in his eyes, his tone very soft, "But Shino likes it, that's what you mean, right?"_

_"Yeah..." Taking a deep breath, Shikamaru looked up, his eyes seemingly searching the sensei's face for a few seconds before fluttering away again, "I know Shino's kinda hoping I'll do it again. But... I just..."_

_"Like I said, you don't_ _have_ _to like it. And you don't have to like it to_ _do_ _it either. If you choose to, that is. If giving your boyfriend pleasure is more important to you, then that's fine too. But I doubt Shino would want you to do something that you just honestly don't want to do," Worrying the inside of his lip for a second, Iruka stared off into space, "I once had a boyfriend who absolutely_ _hated_ _giving head. And he didn't want to be on the receiving end either. I... Didn't really like that, but... You know, that's up to him. In the end we just didn't work out together, but if I'd loved him enough to stay with him... Let's just say I was aware of the price I would pay for that, you know?" Settling his gaze back on the two teenagers across from him, Iruka chuckled nervously, "What? You don't have to_ _stare_ _at me...!"_

_"Iruka-sensei...?" Choji's voice positively trembled with trepidation, "How many boyfriends did you actually_ _have_ _...?"_

_"How many?" Iruka blinked, "Eh... A few? It's not like I really kept track... You really want to know?"_

_"Well... I mean... You don't_ _have_ _to tell us..."_

_"Alright," Sighing softly, he counted on his fingers, mumbling something on occasion as more and more fingers were added, "Akio... Then, right... Oh and he never wanted to snuggle... Hmmm... Was Tadaaki first or was it Tadashi? Does it even matter...? One twin then the next, makes it seven... Eh... Course there was –" He shot a quick glance up at the teenagers, "_ _That_ _guy... Then mister-know-it-all..." Looking back up, his tone returned to normal, "I think... About eleven of them? Before I met Kakashi, that is. He'd make it a full dozen. And as far as I'm concerned, I'm done now, so..."_

_Shikamaru blinked, saying the first thing that came to his overwhelmed mind, "Who the hell is '_ _that_ _guy'?"_

_"Eh... A shinobi. He's still sort of in the closet though, so it wouldn't do to out him."_

_"Okay..." Shikamaru frowned lightly, "But... You're like... In your twenties, right? How the hell do you have_ _that_ _many exes?!"_

_"Oh... Most of them didn't last long," Iruka grinned mischievously, "I'm kind of a handful."_

_Grinning back, Shikamaru had an equally mischievous look in his eyes, "So... Kakashi's the only one that can handle you then?"_

_"Hmm, no... But he's the only one that appreciates everything about me. Like I do with him. Sure, we don't always completely see eye to eye, and we both have a few things that the other isn't necessarily too happy about, but... All in all... To me, he's about as perfect as can be. And it seems he feels the same way, so," Shrugging lightly, he tried to turn the conversation away from the slightly awkward topic, "In any case, where are you sleeping tonight?"_

_"My place," Choji studied the older man for a few seconds, but then couldn't hold back anymore, "You dated twins?"_

_"Not at the same time. Well, not for long, anyway," Chuckling, Iruka winked, "They pulled the age-old switch move on me; one would pretend to be the other and... Check out the merchandise so to speak. Thought I didn't notice, but I did. Even identical twins have some differences, you know," He winked, taking a sip of his tea before continuing, "Truth is, I kinda liked number two better. And apparently... Sibling loyalty doesn't mean much in the face of hot, steamy sex," Chuckling, he watched as the two teenagers blushed, "Really though, it only lasted about a week or two before brother number one walked in on us. Big scene, that was," Thoughtfully taking another sip, Iruka recalled the incident in his head, "After that, I fucked around with brother number two a few more times, but in the end he decided he loved his brother more than he liked my moves. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted..."  
_


End file.
